Tell Me You'll Wait for Me
by LitLover 101
Summary: One-shots and drabbles devoted to Valerie and Stefan since her return from the prison world because of all their potential. Contains a few spoilers for 7x03. Requests are welcome. Canon and AU/AH.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries TV show. That honor goes to Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson.**

 **Hello, my lovely readers. This is my attempt at a Valerie/Stefan fic. There is a hint of Steroline because this is a little canonish for now. On with the show…**

Chapter 1: Of Heartbreak and Pumpkins

Valerie just wanted to have _one_ good day. Just one where she could put aside the pain that she carried with her always with the constant reminder of all she had lost and associated with this town. His town. The man… the vampire that she had once met and loved, even if only for a day. She had known happiness however fleeting in Stefan's arms. Oh, how she relished the desire to find the same feeling of freedom she felt that day.

But all was not lost. There was the possibility that she would turn a corner and there he would be. She had fantasized about seeing him again for over a hundred years. And when he was within reach she could only pour her heart out to him when he could not hear, see or touch her. She knew she wouldn't be able to withstand it if he rejected her, not after all these years.

This was why Valerie was walking the abandoned streets of Mystic Falls on Halloween. The sun was shining down, making the town seem innocuous. Nothing seemed amiss, if you did not count the deadly quiet. No one was home to decorate. No children were attending school. There would be no happy ghouls, goblins, vampires, witches and werewolves lurking about with a desire for chocolate.

Sighing, Valerie's eyes skimmed the lawns with her arms crossed over her chest when she noticed something off. There was a small, orange object sitting atop one porch. It was grinning back at her and she smiled back at the cheeky bugger. Striding across the lawn since there was no one to stop her, she stooped to pick up the pumpkin. It had been a long time since she had seen anything like this.

Placing the pumpkin back down at its post, Valerie continued on to the next house, noting the next pumpkin. Someone was in the spirit after all. Grinning, Valerie walked all the way down the street and around several corners until she stopped abruptly because there was a familiar back turned to her with a pumpkin in hand. She let out an involuntary rush of air and the man spun around to face her, knife gleaming in the sunlight.

"Stefan," Valerie uttered, feeling her heart squeeze. She couldn't use the invisibility spell to stop him from seeing her this time. No. It was too late for all that now. Now, she would simply have to face him.

"Valerie," Stefan greeted her. She noted that his voice held no warmth and he did not pocket the knife. Not that it mattered; she could easily take him. No, that wasn't what bothered her. It was the fact that he would think she would mean him harm.

"Stefan," Valerie began when another blonde appeared with another pumpkin. She hadn't noticed Valerie yet. She was too busy holding her pumpkin with pursed lips.

Valerie narrowed her eyes when Stefan's body responded to the other girl's voice, tilting toward her instinctively. "I think I made the mouth too wide. What do you think? I was trying to mimic Damon's smirk but…" Caroline's eyes widened when she noticed Valerie.

Staring at Caroline and then Stefan, Valerie felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach while Caroline's eyes flicked from Stefan to Valerie. The younger vampire's jaw set and she turned and began to stomp off, muttering. "Whatever," under her breath.

Looking between his old love and his new one, Stefan's back turned and he hurried after the younger. "Caroline!" he called, dropping the pumpkin in his haste to avoid the inevitable.

Head dropping downward, Valerie felt tears hot tears burn a stream down her cheeks as she stared somberly down at the broken pumpkin, lying shattered on the ground. Picking up the pieces, she found she could set the poor fellow to rights. Shaking her head, she walked back down the deserted street, tracing her way back to her first pumpkin, the one with a friendly smile. Picking him up, she carried him back to Stefan's home, now her own.

Entering the house, Valerie walked upstairs and set the pumpkin down beside Stefan's bed, atop his nightstand. Tucking herself under his sheets and waiting for the next day when she hoped her heart would mend.

 **Okay, so let me know if you liked it and want to see more. I certainly want to see more of this couple this season.**

 **Thanks for reading, faving, following and for reviewing.**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, my lovely readers. This chapter is based on a prompt from Slayer 1002. Thank you for the idea and I hope you enjoy the story. The one-shot takes place post 7x05 but before 7x06 if Valerie doesn't leave town. On with the show…**

Chapter 2: Drinking Buddies

Looking through the clothing that had once belonged to Damon Salvatore's girlfriend, before Lilly had a sleeping spell cast on the girl, Valerie rolled her eyes before dropping a purple top. Not her style. Well, at least she no longer had to wear corsets. The bloody things pinched. Finding a flowing white top, she smirked, it would do for the day. When she vacated the Salvatore home and moved into one of the abandoned ones across town, she had taken some of Elena's clothes with her and she was beginning to have second thoughts about that.

There was a noise from downstairs that made Valerie's head spin just before she found out who the source was. "Mine!" Nora cried, appearing in front of Valerie and snatching the top away. " _Why_ would you even need something like this? Are you trying to _impress_ someone?"

" _Who_ would there be to impress? She only sniffs about men who love other women," Mary Louise said with a grin, coming into the room and examining the shirt that Nora was holding in front of her. Both girls turned to look at Valerie and then smirked at each other. They were hideous monsters who knew nothing of who Valerie was or what she had been through.

"Oh, Mary Louise, _don't_ be cruel. I'm sure that Valerie wouldn't even think of following Stefan about like some poor, senseless creature, hoping for a meager glance in her direction. I'm sure even our Valerie is not that sad and weak." Nora titled her head as Valerie's gaze lowered to the ground. She would kill them. She would kill them both where they stood and Lilly be damned.

"Oh, Nora, I think you have upset her. Perhaps we should leave," Mary Louise whispered loudly to Nora who laughed.

" _No_. I think we should stay. We need to stop her from making a _bigger_ fool of herself than she's apt to. After all, what is family for?" Nora questioned as she threw the top on the bed. "And, on second thought, I don't think I like that top. Maybe you should wear it, Valerie; it's more you, dull and depressing."

"Go to hell, both of you!" Valerie snarled before snatching up the top and racing out of the house. She had no idea where exactly she was headed but she was going anywhere that was not this house or near those cows.

Growling under her breath, Valerie headed down the street and began to make her way toward… anywhere would do. In the span of an hour she found herself sitting on a stool in the Mystic Grill, in the white shirt, with her third bottle of bourbon. It was not quite working like it used to. There was something very, _very_ wrong here. Why was it that the alcohol did not seem to affect her as it did in her former state as a human?

"Damn!" Valerie yelled. In her frustration she flung the bottle into the mirror behind the bar.

"You know just because there's no one left in this town, doesn't mean that you have the right to destroy their property," Stefan's voice echoed through the empty room and Valerie turned to face him.

"Oh, and _what_ is it that you want?" Valerie snapped back, feeling annoyed at his presence. He had been avoiding her since their talk when their attempts to kill Julian were foiled. "Shouldn't you be on a date with Caroline? I've heard the third one is rather important, but given the way she acts, I don't think it holds the same significance to her as it does to some."

Valerie knew she was being petty. It wasn't even that she held anything against Caroline. It was that she was hurt. Every time she thought of the two of them together, it was as if someone punched a hole inside her chest and ripped her heart out, leaving her empty.

"Gee, I see someone doesn't know how to hold their booze," Stefan quipped. "So, what are we drinking to and why?" He slid onto the stool beside her and filled her glass before downing it.

"We are drinking to horrid people who have nothing better to do than to torment others when they should be helping me to stop Julian and Lilly before they destroy our new life," Valerie told him seriously. Taking the bottle back, she poured herself another drink.

"And I'm going to say that this has something to do with Nora and Mary Louise?" Stefan nodded at his own words, taking the shot glass from Valerie's fingers. "They're a pain in the ass," he stated and Valerie let out a laugh, her cheeks reddening for a moment. Stefan stared at her for a long moment, causing her cheeks to flush for another reason entirely.

"You know, you don't have to let them get to you. They're just bullies," Stefan advised and Valerie smiled at that comment.

"Yes, they are. But they're also my _family_. And I do not know what to do," Valerie said with a roll of her eyes as she downed another shot.

Stefan got to his feet. Reaching out, he took Valerie's hand that was not reaching for the bottle and pulled her to her feet. "You're going to forget about them for right now. And you're going to learn how to play darts."

"Darts?" Valerie's eyebrows knitted but she was not about to let this moment slip by when Stefan was holding her hand and it made her feel human. If only for a second.

"Darts," Stefan grabbed some darts and Valerie felt silly. It had been so long since she had been out in the world, free to roam as she chose that she forgot about games like this. "Have you ever played this game?" Stefan inquired, holding out the darts to her.

"No," Valerie replied, taking one of the things in her hand, she rolled it back and forth in the palm of her hand, trying to get a feel for it, looking to Stefan for help.

"You hold it like this," Stefan held the dart upward and focused on the board across from him. Throwing it, hr hit the middle circle and Valerie smiled at his work.

"Bravo!" Valerie exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

"Now, it's your turn," Stefan told her and Valerie looked at the dartboard and then threw the dart. It missed the middle circle, hitting the third one. "That's not so bad for a beginner." Stefan said with a smile and Valerie shook her head.

"It's not good either," she replied.

Valerie's breath caught when Stefan came to stand behind her and he placed another dart in her hand. He lifted her hand so that it was eye level. "Now, concentrate on the target. Do you see the middle circle and only the middle circle?" he asked and she nodded. "Good. Now, _fire_!" he commanded quietly and she threw the dart. It hit the target and she cheered.

Turning around, Valerie threw her arms around Stefan's neck, hugging him tightly. It had been so long since she felt his arms around her, their bodies this close together. Her memories of their past together were overwhelming her present state of mind and she was beginning to think that the liquor did indeed work when she pulled back to look up at Stefan, feeling heady with desire. For a split second she was sure he felt the same, his gaze lingering on her lips, his head inclining downward and then he was pulling away.

"Well, are you _still_ thinking about Nora and Mary Louise?" Stefan joked, running his hand through the back his hair with a sheepish grin.

" _No_. Not at all," Valerie told him sincerely. "Would you care to teach me how to play that game with the long sticks?" she pointed toward the pool table and Stefan's eyebrows rose. Valerie was hoping that the game would involve more physical contact or at least the possibility of such.

"Yeah. Sure. But I actually have to meet up with Damon," Stefan said with a smile.

"Alright. Another time. _Yes_?" Valerie hoped that she did not sound as desperate as "her family" had portrayed her as being earlier in the day.

"Yeah. Definitely. If I forget, you know where I'm staying. And you can come over and remind me," he said on his way toward the door.

"Right. It's a date then?" Valerie called with a smile.

"Yeah. Something like that," Stefan called back as the door closed behind him.

Valerie turned back to the bar and began to twirl the bottle back and forth. Maybe deciding to stay in town wasn't such a bad idea.

 **I am still taking requests so let me know if you have an idea (just no bashing. Sorry. I just don't do any anti-whoever because there's enough of that in the real world.)**

 **Oh and I loved last night's episode. And the Stefan, Valerie and Damon scenes need to be every episode. They were a great comedy team.**

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.**

 **Answers to guest reviews: Thank you. I know! Really they have such a great storyline this season and I was not looking forward to season 7 at all but their storyline it making it worth the time.**

 **Lexie: Hey! Thank you. They're really great together and I'm hoping that they keep Valerie on the show through next season.**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, lovely readers. Requested one-shot for Dante 101. This is a reworking of the pilot which will probably turn out to be nothing like the pilot. On with the show…**

Chapter 3: You Can Come Home Again

The road was dark ahead and Stefan Salvatore's mind was not on where he was driving. He was too busy listening to his wife, Valerie, lecture their son, Jacob, about life in Mystic Falls. He smiled from time to time when Valerie looked at him for support on a certain point. After a hundred plus years together, they knew each other well.

"Jacob, this is serious!" Valerie snapped when she noted that Jacob had slid a pair of ear pods into his ears, completely ignoring his mother.

"Stefan!" Valerie snapped at her husband. "Will you tell him to listen to me? Please! It is important that we fit in here," she was saying when Stefan took her left hand and kissed the back with a smile, titling his lips upward.

"I know. I know. We'll talk to him, again, tomorrow. Right now we need to get to the house and make sure that Zach gets used to us being around," Stefan reminded Valerie who let out a long sigh, staring out the windshield.

"Stefan, look out!" Valerie shouted, causing Stefan to slam on the brakes. All three of the passengers went lurching forward in their seats as he yanked off his seatbelt and emerged from the car. Valerie and Jacob followed to stare at the body lying on top of the car in the middle of the road.

Jacob was the first one to move toward the body, his eyes glowing red. "Smells like dinner," he muttered under his breath.

"Smells like death to me," Stefan added, coming closer to look down at the dead man atop the SUV. "We can grab some blood bags on the way to Zach's," he commented while examining the body. Whoever this man's killer was was pretty careless about killing this man. Sloppy. And they were kind of stupid if you asked Stefan. Rolling his eyes, he shook his head. Not his problem.

"Blood bags? _Again_?" Jacob cried. "Come on, dad? I can control my urges!" the forever seventeen year old son of the vampire and the heretic, groaned loudly.

"Of course you can," Valerie shook her head with a snort of disgust. "That is why we barely escaped Madison with our lives." She folded her arms. "I'm tired. Let's go." Her word was law, most of the time, with her small family. Looking from Stefan to Jacob, she made her feelings quite clear with her narrowed eyes and chin jutting outward.

"Yes, mother," Jacob said like every other sulky teen that Valerie had ever met in her long lifetime.

Stefan seemed amused as he got back behind the wheel and drove toward the old boarding house. He hadn't been back since he had gone looking for Valerie back in 1863 and found a vampire named Julien trying to kill his lover. On instinct he had broken a piece of wood off and stabbed Julien. He had been lucky. When his mother found out, she had been furious and had condemned both him and Valerie to a life as vampires as punishment, not bothering to ask why Stefan had killed Julien.

Now, they had been on the run with their son for so long that Stefan no longer knew what it meant to have a home. He was hoping that that would change tonight. He knew that Valerie felt the same as she closed her eyes and leaned back into the passenger seat. He was also hoping that Jacob would finally settle down and find a happiness or something like that.

When the car stopped, Valerie opened her eyes to look up at the boarding house. It would do, she supposed. Getting out, she yawned and then rounded the car to help Stefan with their things. Jacob got out, not bothering to ask if his parents needed him for anything before making his way to the front door and ringing the bell. Perking her ears, Valerie noted Jacob compelling the man who must be Zach to remain calm. "Mom. Dad," he called.

Stefan walked toward his great-great-great cousin and extended his hand. "Hello, Zach, I'm Stefan Salvatore. We're distantly related. This is my wife, Valerie, and our son, Jacob. We need a place to stay and you're going to invite us in," he said smoothly.

Zach just looked at Stefan with a frown. "I'm on vervain," Zach retorted, folding his arms over his chest and glaring at his family members.

"Cool. What's _vervain_?" Jacob asked.

"It's that purple flower, that you said no longer existed _here_ ," Valerie replied, directing the last part at Stefan who shrugged, who shoved his hands into the back pockets of his dark jeans.

"My mistake. Let's try it another way. Zach, if you don't let us in, I will wait until you come out, bleed the vervain out of you and then I will let my family feed on you. Val's great with control. But Jacob's still working on it," Stefan told Zach who just narrowed his eyes.

"Go to _hell_ ," Zach growled before moving to close the door.

" _Wait_!" Valerie shouted, holding up her hands. " _Please_! It's been a long time since we had somewhere to stay for any length of time. We can feed from blood bags. Stefan did not mean you harm. He's simply weary from hours on the road. Trust me, we are like any other family in this town and we just want a place here. If you'll let us," she added with an innocent smile.

Looking from Stefan to Valerie, Zach's posture relaxed and he looked from the floor to Valerie again. "If you _promise_ not to kill anyone in town, or even outside of the town limits, I will let you in," Zach told them.

Grinning, Stefan held out his hand. "Agreed," he was still smiling when Zach held out his hand and they shook. He might not kill the guy after all. "Okay. Let's get inside and find bedrooms. We've got school tomorrow!"

The next day, Jacob was complaining about his parents' insisting on going to school with him. How was he supposed to make friends or find a girlfriend if they were always, there, hovering? "By being yourself and not eating anyone," Stefan said reading his son's thoughts, wrapping his arm around his son's shoulders who shrugged him off and then hurried away.

"I love you," Valerie said with a laugh, linking arms with Stefan on their way through the front doors. They heard the excited chatter as the other kids began to examine them, trying to figure out who they were in the grand scheme of high school politics.

"Love you, too," Stefan whispered into her ear and Valerie's head whipped to the side to glare at a blonde girl who was saying how hot _her_ husband was. The girl was so focused on Stefan that she did not even seem to notice Valerie's glare. Well, she knew how to fix that. The other girl, the shorter of the two, was the one who noticed Valerie who smirked back at her.

The girl flinched as if Valerie had screamed profanity at her, practically hiding beside her friend. Raising her eyebrows, Valerie wondered about that one with her all-black ensemble and her morose demeanor. Walking further down the hall, she was met with the sight of a tall, blonde boy who looked like someone had kicked his puppy. He looked up only when Stefan tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, man, do you know where you register for classes?" Stefan asked and the boy looked at Stefan, his eyes slightly unfocused before he nodded wordlessly. Valerie and Stefan exchanged looks with each other, both wondering if everyone at this school was as friendly as their escort.

"It's here," the boy said with what looked like a smile for a split second before his eyes lost their light again. Valerie wondered about this.

"Thanks, man, I'm Stefan Salvatore. This is my girlfriend, Valerie Tulle. And you are?" Stefan asked the boy with a wide grin.

"I'm Matt. Matt Donavon," Matt told them with another split second smile. It lasted about two seconds this time.

"It's nice to meet you, Matt," Valerie told the boy with a smile. "Thank you for your help."

Matt nodded before disappearing into the crowd and Stefan and Valerie entered the school's main office. They would need to register Jacob with the school as well as themselves. It was unfortunate that they had to pose as high school children, but it was better that then to be driven out town after their son left a pile of bodies leading to their front door. Not that Jacob meant to. He seemed to have inherited the ripper gene from his father.

"Hello, can you check for a Valerie Tulle," Valerie asked the woman at the desk who looked up at her. "As well as a Stefan and Jacob Salvatore?" she continued while the woman looked down at her screen before shaking her head.

"I'm sorry. None of those names are in our system," the woman said.

"Please, check again," Valerie replied with a smile, looking deeply into the woman's eyes. Stefan was not nearly as adept at compulsion, due to his not feeding on humans. Valerie did not share this problem.

"Yes, you're right. Let me print out your schedules," the receptionist said before typing away.

Stefan smiled down at Valerie who smirked up at him. Yes, this might be far too easy. When they were done they left the office to track down Jacob who was eyeing the little goth girl. "Fancy her?" Valerie asked her son whose head whipped around to stare at his mother with wide eyes.

"Who? _Her_? No, no way. She just looks kind of lonely. Besides she was hanging with this _hot,_ blonde chick," Jacob said with a grin directed at his father who patted him on the back.

Having a suspicion of which "blonde chick" her son was referring to, Valerie gritted her teeth. She would not deal with another one of Jacob's cheerleaders. He needed to find someone serious to pursue. And she wanted information about the short girl. Taking her son by the arm, she dragged him across the hallway. "Hello, I'm Valerie. This is my boyfriend, Stefan. And his cousin, Jacob," Valerie introduced the three with a grin directed at the girl who hugged her books to her chest. "And you are?"

"Bonnie. Bonnie Bennett!" the blonde cried, popping out of the crowd and pushing herself toward Stefan. "But _ignore_ her. She's been _really_ uptight and a total downer since our friend, Elena died. But I keep telling her that Elena would not want her to mourn, for, like ever. Bonnie, I say, you need to go out. Meet _new_ people. _Guys_. She _needs_ a boyfriend. Oh, you're _cute_. Are you _new_?" she squealed at Jacob who grinned happily at her.

Stefan could see that Valerie was about to blow a blood vessel. Wrapping his arm around her waist to make it obvious that they were together, he held out his hand to the cheery blonde. "Stefan. This is Valerie. We're like an old married couple. And this is Jacob, my cousin."

" _Caroline_. Caroline Forbes. If you need help with anything, _anything_ at all, let me know. And you should _totally_ come to this party at The Falls tonight. It's to die for," Caroline told them and Valerie let out a chuckle.

"Oh, I'm _sure_ ," Valerie uttered, her voice full of contempt as she yanked both Jacob and Stefan away. "That was a _disaster_."

"Not really," Jacob replied with a dreamy smile.

"Ugh," Valerie groaned while Stefan rubbed her shoulders.

The school day was over after long and tortuous hours. Valerie had been bored nearly the entire time. That was why she had welcomed the party at The Falls as an excuse to drink and dance with her husband. Unfortunately, Jacob chose to spend most of his time with that Caroline girl, and Bonnie was a no-show. Gripping her cup a little tighter, Valerie envisioned herself tearing the perky blonde's head off. She would not spend eternity listening to the sound of her rambling on about nonsense that no one truly cared about.

That was why when the body of a girl named Vikki became an excuse to leave, Valerie hauled Jacob back home by the shirt collar. What met them on their way into the household gave her pause. "What in the bloody hell?" she cried, looking down in dismay at the blood on the carpet. Who had done that?

" _Damon_?" Stefan's voice was low when he rounded a corner and found his older brother, sitting on one of the couches with his feet perched atop the chest of Zach. "You're alive?" he gasped.

" _Damon_?" Valerie's heard herself say. She remembered the day in late 1865 that they had returned to Mystic Falls to find that Stefan's father and brother had been killed. Stefan had been heartbroken when he was given the news, more over the loss of his brother than his father.

"In the flesh," Damon quipped with a grin directed at Stefan before his eyes moved to Valerie and Jacob. "And you brought _friends_. Stefan, are you using the _buddy_ _system_?" Damon's grin turned into a smirk when he got to his feet and moved toward them. Valerie did not move an inch. She could tell that Damon had flipped his switch. She had seen Stefan on edge before.

"Damon, if I had known you were still alive, I _would_ have found you," Stefan choked out, his eyes wide.

"Yeah. Shoulda. Woulda. Coulda!" Damon shook an empty glass that smelled of bourbon.

" _How_ are you still alive?" Valerie asked Damon who blinked at her, scrunching his eyebrows together.

"Who the hell are _you_?" Damon snapped.

" _She_ asked _you_ first," Jacob snapped back, coming to stand in front of his mother.

"Ah, aren't you cute. Like a puppy. You know that Stefan _eats_ puppies?" Damon asked with a mock pout and then began to laugh.

"Damon," Stefan began again.

"Okay. Okay. I met this really, _really_ sexy woman after you took off and left me with daddy. Her name was Katherine. And, whoa, she was _smoking_. Long story short. She turned me. Then I came back here and ripped Dad's heart out, like he ripped mine out long ago. I went on the run with Katherine. One day we're in Paris. The next she's gone. No note. No nothing. Just gone. Like a puff of air. Haven't been able to track her down since. Now, here I am, being my own man, sowing my oats. Got sentimental. Looks like I'm not the only one. Now, it's your turn," he said, grabbing a fire poker and pointing at Valerie.

"I'm Valerie Tulle. Stefan's wife–" Valerie began when Damon began to shake the poker.

"Seriously, Stef! You got married and didn't invite me. I'm _hurt_ ," Damon said, placing his free hand over his heart.

"And this is our son, Jacob," Valerie finished which made Damon's eyes pop open further. She might have laughed at the comical sight but she could feel the danger emanating from the vampire.

"And a _baby_. Well, _teenager_. Well, _vampire_. _Damn_ , Stefan. Nice work. Sorry I couldn't be there for that bit of _awkwardness_ ," Damon shook his head with a grin. " _Right_. Anyway. I'm headed out for a snack. You three keep the home fires burning. I feel like we have so much to catch up on when I get back."

"Where are you going?" Stefan called.

"Nowhere _you're_ invited to. You can be such a _downer_. And I drank _all_ the bourbon. See you all _soon_ ," Damon called over his shoulder, waving the fire poker.

"What does he need with that?" Valerie asked Stefan who shrugged.

"Who knows?" Stefan said with a sigh, sitting down on the nearest couch.

"I'm going to go do my homework," Jacob called which was code for he was going to go call that annoying Caroline person.

"How do you like this place so far?" Stefan asked Valerie, pulling her down onto his lap.

"We've been in worse straights," she replied, kissing him lightly before getting up and hauling him to his own feet. "Let's go check up on your bed."

"Let's," Stefan said, chasing her up the stairs.

 **Hope that you liked it!**

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and for reviewing.**

 **Answers to guest reviews:**

 **jaccy: Thank and I'm not sure whether you're review was a request or not? Sorry. :/**

 **Lexie: It is fun to write about Mary Louise and Nora being bitchy but I think we'll see some more of that in later chapters given some of my requests.**

 **Thank you and Stefan did want to kiss her. But it wouldn't be Stefan if he didn't think and think and think some more before acting on his feelings, especially with whatever is going on with him and Caroline.**

 **I would LOVE to write about Stefan, Damon and Valerie in that car scene. It was so much fun to watch!**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, my lovely readers. This prompt is from the-vampire-diaries-fanfiction on Tumblr. On with the show…**

Chapter 4: Blind Date

Valerie's head lolled as she slumped on her bar stool in the Scull Bar. Her quasi friend, (more like a sister), Nora had set her up on a blind date that she was dreading. She supposed it was because Nora was primarily interested in driving Valerie mad that most of the men she introduced Valerie to were so dull she considered buying a gun. And she would not even think of the nightmare that was Mary Louise, Nora's girlfriend, trying to set her up…

Rolling her eyes in misery, Valerie lifted her finger to get the bartender's attention. "One more," she called and the bartender nodded.

"Hey, are you Valerie?" a voice called and Valerie's head lulled to the left and then the right. Blinking, she managed to focus on the man who was smiling at her. Not so bad. But he might be cute and dull. That had happened last time.

"It depends. Who are you?" Valerie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm Stefan Salvatore. I'm tutoring your sister, Nora, in history," Stefan said, holding out his hand.

Eyeing Stefan with a wide grin, Valerie finally gave up and offered her hand to him. He shook it and her eyes widened. "Firm grip. Very nice. Tell me, Stefan, what misfortune befell you that you're being forced to tutor Nora?" she smirked at Stefan as he took a seat beside her.

"That would be my brother, Damon. He was having a fight with his girlfriend, Elena. And he was supposed to sign me and his friend, Alaric, up for tutoring gigs because I had a gig and Ric… Well, he was asleep after drinking too much with Damon the night before. According to Damon, he just signed us up with whoever was left on the list without a tutor. I figure he placed his hand over his face and randomly signed the sheet. I'm shocked he didn't write our names on the wall," Stefan finished his story and then waved to the bartender.

"So, your brother, Damon, sounds rather impulsive," Valerie teased, allowing herself to lean just a little closer to Stefan.

"Oh, yeah. Damon's the impulsive one. I'm the one who tends to think everything through," Stefan said, taking his drink and holding it up to her.

"How about a little toast?" Valerie declared, holding up her own drink. "To being impulsive. Even if it's only for one night," she whispered, leaning even closer to Stefan. He smelled glorious. Or she had too much to drink. Either way, she might not be going home tonight.

"To be impulsive," Stefan agreed, clinking his glass with hers. "You know, I'm thinking I should thank Damon," he added

Valerie's eyebrows rose. "For what?"

"Because if he wasn't being himself, I wouldn't have met you," Stefan told her seriously and Valerie felt her heartbeat increase. She could fall in love with this man.

Across the room from Valerie and Stefan, Caroline was sitting at a table and mimicking what she thought they were saying. "Oh, yes, my hair always does this thing when I wake up. Oh, Stefan, you're so funny. Ha, ha, ha!" she let out a mocking laugh before knocking back her own drink.

"Excuse me, love, are you Caroline Forbes?" a man asked, nudging his glasses up his nose.

Caroline growled under her breath. This guy was in her line of sight. "Yes, but I'm a little busy. So if you'll excuse me," she began when she bothered to look up and the rest of her thoughts disappeared. It was that mysterious art guy that Elena had told her had been sketching her in the park that one day when they hit him with a Frisbee.

"Oh, hi. Sorry. I'm Caroline. Yes. Ummm… Please, sit," Caroline cried, getting to her own feet and tossing her hair over her shoulder. She was smiling so hard she was afraid that her face would crack. _Thank_ _you,_ _Bonnie,_ she thought. _I owe you a gazillion favors._ "And you are?" she already knew his name, his phone number, his e-mail address, his home address, how many siblings he had and where he went to high school. But she wanted him to tell her so it wouldn't look so stalkery.

"I'm Klaus Mikaelson. Your friend, Bonnie Bennett, told me that she thought we would hit it off," Klaus said, taking a seat across from Caroline. "But if you would prefer to talk to…" he let his words trail off and nodded toward Stefan and Stefan's date.

"Oh, no. No, no, NO! This is my ex and his date. His brother kind of set him up in a really weird way. And that would be totally awkward," Caroline said quickly before clamping her mouth closed and forcing a smile. God, he was going to think she was such a freak.

"So, we're meeting in the same place that your ex is having a date?" Klaus looked genuinely amused as he took of his glasses and Caroline thought she could drown in his eyes. She was no longer feeling upset that Stefan was on a date with someone else. It had been six months. It was time to get back on the horse.

"I wonder what she's laughing so hard about? His overuse of hair product? Isn't there a law somewhere about that?" Klaus asked, smirking while examining Stefan.

"Oh, my God. I used to tell him that, too. And you see what she's wearing—" Caroline began when Klaus interrupted her.

"Last year's ankle boots. Such a shame. As an artist, I believe that a woman's ankles should always be bare," Klaus said smoothly and Caroline placed her chin on her hand. She could listen to him talk about art and fashion and pretty much anything, all day.

"Would you like to see me bare?" Caroline asked dreamily when Klaus looked up at her with a wolfish grin. "I mean, my ankle. Not all of me. Nope! I mean… just the ankle. We'll have to see how the night plays out," she added coyly, congratulating herself on the save. Or at least she was until Stefan got up from his barstool and headed toward them.

"Hey, Caroline," Stefan greeted her with his hands in his back pockets.

"Hey, Stefan. How's your date going?" Caroline asked with a smile as she leaned closer to Klaus.

"Great. You mind if we join you? The bar is getting a little crowded," Stefan asked and Caroline forced down an eye roll. She could see from his date's expression that she was not happy with the thought either.

"Sure. The more the merrier, I always say, mate," Klaus said, grinning at Stefan while scooting his chair closer to Caroline to wrap an arm around her waist. "Better now," he whispered into her ear.

"Much," Caroline replied.

Valerie could not believe that her date wanted to join his ex and her date. Was he insane, or was he completely over this girl? Forcing herself into a standing position, she began to make her way across the floor with Stefan when she slipped and would have fallen if it weren't for his grabbing her about the waist. "Thank you," she said quietly, focusing on his lips.

"You're welcome," Stefan replied, "Hey, guys. This is Valerie Tulle," he announced.

"Klaus Mikaelson," Klaus held out his hand to Stefan and then to Valerie, she shook it. He was a nice looking bloke but not really her type. No, for once Nora had done something nice and Valerie was pleased with her date.

"So, Klaus, what is it that you do?" Stefan questioned Klaus who leaned back in his seat.

"I'm an artist. I could sketch you and your date. Make it a night to remember for you both," he announced and Valerie looked at Stefan who shrugged.

"Why not?" Stefan answered and after several minutes of sitting very still, Klaus was done and handed Valerie and Stefan a sketch where they were talking and laughing. They looked perfectly relaxed, like they had been together for years.

"What do you think?" Stefan asked Valerie, "Should we frame it as an original Klaus Mikaelson?"

"Let's," Valerie replied, it was a work of genuine beauty. "Now, why don't you do one of your date? She looks a bit left out," she pointed out, causing Caroline to look up with wide, grateful eyes.

"Yes, I do owe her one," Klaus said and Caroline grinned happily. She was practically jumping up and down with anticipation when Klaus got done. "Here you go, love," he said.

After a long second, Caroline let out a laugh as she stared at the sketch. "Thank you, it's perfect," she told Klaus with a smile that lit up her entire face.

"Can we see?" Stefan asked, he looked confused when Caroline handed him the sketch of an ankle. "Huh… Well, that's… ummm… nice. Very abstract," he commented before he handed it back to Caroline.

Valerie watched Caroline roll her eyes at Stefan's comment before she turned around and got to her feet. "You know. I've got a really early morning. Klaus, would you like to walk me home. I think I'd like to talk more about art and see what more this night has to offer," her eyelids lowered at the last part while she bit her bottom lip.

Klaus could not gather his belongings fast enough. "It was nice to meet both of you," he cried, half running to catch up with Caroline who was moving through the crowd.

"It looks like it's just the two of us," Stefan said quietly. "What would you like to do?"

"I would like you to take me home with you," Valerie said, feeling bold. If Stefan's ex could play the seductress, so could she.

"You want… Tonight?" Stefan's eye had widened a bit. "You're sure," he asked and she nodded with a smile.

"Okay. Let's go," he said, getting to his feet, he helped Valerie put her coat on and they left the bar holding hands.

Once they had pulled up in front of Stefan's home, Valerie got out of the car and waited for him. It was beginning to snow and she thought she would never forget this night in her entire life. When Stefan came to stand before her, she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. It was lovely.

When they broke apart, Stefan led the way into the house and up the stairs. He opened the door and led Valerie inside. "We don't want to wake Damon. He gets cranky and he might not be alone if he and Elena made up and I don't want to see that again," he said on their way up the stairs.

Entering Stefan's bedroom, Valerie made her way toward his bed. She began to undress when Stefan opened a drawer and pulled out a long shirt. "I think this should fit you," he told her with his eyes averted.

"Would you like to put it on me?" Valerie teased, unhooking her bra.

"I'm actually going to crash in one of the guest bedrooms," Stefan announced and Valerie felt horrified, grabbing the shirt and yanking it over her head. "It's just that you've been drinking and I want to make sure that when we do have sex that you are sober." He reassured her, sliding his arms around her waist and kissing her again. "I will see you in the morning."

"Yes, of course," Valerie replied with a smile as she let him go and slipped under his covers. "Thank you, Stefan."

"You're welcome," Stefan called.

Two years later:

"I got you a little gift for the engagement party," Damon announced to Valerie and Stefan who were curled up in front of the fireplace. Damon grinned holding out the present.

Stefan took it with a frown expecting a gag gift. "What is it?"

"A Klaus Mikaelson original," Damon told Stefan who rolled his eyes.

Valerie smiled when Stefan tore the wrapping paper off to reveal the sketch that Klaus had drawn on their first date. "I had it framed," Damon announced. "And it was on sale, so I got you something else," he added, pulling out a tiny bottle.

"What's this?" Stefan asked and then he read the label.

"So that Stefan junior can have a coif just like daddy," Damon said, patting Valerie's growing bump before waving good-bye. "Later. Got to take mom out to dinner so she stops complaining that I never speak to her. Hope she doesn't mind I'm bringing a date."

"I can't believe it's only been two years," Valerie sighed.

"I can't believe that you asked Nora and Mary Louise to be your bride's maids," Stefan countered.

"That's only so I can force them to wear blue taffeta," Valerie replied, smiling at her fiancée.

"You think Klaus will make a sketch of that," Stefan joked.

"That would be a wonderful wedding present," Valerie replied, not kidding at all, snuggling into his embrace. It was a nice night to spend with someone you loved.

 **A little less angsty and little more fluffy this time. Oh, well.**

 **Thank you for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing.**

 **Answers to guest Reviews:**

 **Mysteria: I know and wouldn't that be great? I would love to see Valerie continue on the show. No problem, but I do have few other requests so it might be about a month before that request will be fulfilled. You're welcome!**

 **Lexie: Hey! No, I don't, but I can guess.**

 **Those interruptions were hilarious. Oh, and I loved the little bonding moments with Val and Care in the last episode. Why should women constantly be pitted against each other over a guy?**

 **Thank you.**

 **XxKissesandSmilesxX: Yes, it is hard. I know that sometimes when I'm trying to login, the last part of the code will show up at the end on my e-mail address, so I have to take it out and put it in the code slot.**

 **Cool. I will get on that as soon as I get the requests ahead of yours done.**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	5. Chapter 5

**Special Note: I need your help, my lovely readers. I published my first novel,** _ **On**_ _ **Being**_ **a** _ **First**_ _ **Mistress**_ **, on Amazon and now I need fifty readers who would be willing to review the book. For more details on how to get a free copy, drop a review or send me a message through my tumblr account, queenofthedramedies. Thank you.**

 **Hello, my lovely readers. Prompt from Jaccy, sorry about my slowness. This would be a missing scene from 7x06 after Stefan tried to convince Valerie to stay with him and Damon. On with the show…**

Chapter 5: Fight or Flight?

There is a point in which you must decide: do I stay or do I go? Valerie had every intention of leaving Mystic Falls behind. She needed to get as far away from Julian as she possibly could. If she did not, she was certain that he would come after her. Why not, he had killed her child, why stop there? That is why she was driving toward the Welcome to Mystic Falls sign, to run from her greatest enemy.

Sighing as she approached the sign, Valerie came to a screeching halt when Damon Salvatore appeared, right in front of her car. Well, not her car. It was a rental. _Was it still considered a rental if you stole it from the local law enforcement?_ she wondered absently, while opening the driver's side door and then slamming it shut behind her.

"Hey there, semi-evil, super angry, former lover of my brother, heretic girl, did I leave anything out?" Damon asked with his classic smirk that was already beginning to drive Valerie mad. "So, Stef tells me that you're running away with your tail tucked between your legs from the big bad. Here's a piece of advice, you can't outrun your demons, trust me, I've tried, a lot."

Valerie glared at Damon. "I do not need advice from the likes of you. Now kindly step aside, before I change my mind and decide to run you over," she snapped venomously.

"Yeah. That's not going to happen. You see, I can tell you still have a thing for my little brother. And if you want to have just the _fraction_ of a chance with him, I would say that you _should_ get in my car, and I will drive you back to my new digs." Damon's smile was not the most sincere that Valerie had ever seen and she had seen more fakery in her lifetime, having lived with Nora and Mary Louise for so long. "Come on, it'll be fun. Besides, you'll be roomies with Stefan. Bonus, _right_?!"

Valerie sighed. She knew that Damon was a fool and that he did not know half the story. Otherwise, their encounter might be somewhat different, but she was not in the mood to explain it to him. No, that was Stefan's job. Let him deal with Damon's reaction, whatever that might be, to the news that he had lost another relative. "Fine. But you must promise that you will be quiet for the rest of the drive," she warned Damon, crossly before heading toward his car.

"Cross my heart and you know the rest," Damon replied snidely as he climbed behind the steering wheel. The minute that Valerie sat down, he began to whistle and she had to listen to this all the way back to the Lockwood estate.

When they got out of the car, Stefan was standing by the door. "She's all _yours_ , brother," Damon said, patting Stefan on the shoulder as Valerie made her way toward him with a confused expression.

"You sent him after me?" Valerie asked, not sure what to make of this.

"Yeah. I stared thinking about it and I realized that the safest place you could be, is with us. And, it's not just my fight. Julian… what he did, he took our child and that means that we should both be fighting him. I guess, I'm trying to say that I want you, I need you to be there when we take Julian down. It might not give you the peace you need, but at least you'll know that he can't keep coming after you. And you're not alone. You'll never have to carry this burden alone, again," Stefan finished his speech with a sad smile.

"I…" Valerie was at a loss for words and she could feel tears filling her eyes. "Thank you, Stefan," was all she could manage around the lump that had just formed in her throat.

"Hey, what are you two still doing out here?" Damon called, poking his head back out of the house. "We need to figure out where she's sleeping. I tend to sleep with one eye open when there are witches under my roof, so, Stefan, I think she would feel comfy in the room next to _yours_ ," he stated with a smirk.

Valerie scoffed, faking injury by Damon's comments but enjoying where this was leading. He might turn out to a true ally in her fight to win back Stefan's heart. "Surely, you must be joking. We all know that your room is situated closest to the _best_ bathroom," Valerie teased Damon, walking into the house. "And as the only female in the home, it is only _proper_ that I have access."

" _No_ way. I called _dibs_ when Stef and I moved in here," Damon shouted.

Stefan was laughing and Damon turned to glare at him while Valerie's lips twisted upward. Yes, it would be quite interesting to be living with these two. She was beginning to get a sense of what her life could have been like, and she did not mind it, one bit.

 **Thank you for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing.**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, my lovely readers. This prompt is from an Anon on Tumblr and it's frikin' sad. On with the show…**

Chapter 6: Say Good Night

Valerie knew that Julien would come for her eventually. Now that Lily was dead he no longer had any reason to try to look like the good guy in her eyes. It was just a matter of time. Glancing around her on her way to the Mystic Grill, she felt the little hairs on the back of her neck rise. Whirling around, she found nothing there. No one.

Adjusting her purse, she continued toward the bar and then pulled the door open, entering the empty building. She could hear every tiny sound. That is how she heard him. She spun to face Julien and forced a dark smile. "Julien, I should I have known it was you trailing me!"

"Ah Valerie, always so astute. Too bad you weren't so aware the day that you meant to leave our little family; otherwise your child might have lived," Julien taunted with a grin while he headed toward her. She had dealt with him so many times in the past months. Every time she thought it would be her last but he let her live. What was this, some kind of game of cat and mouse for him?

"You are a monster!" Valerie hissed. She did not dare make a move. He needed to be the one. If she moved first, it might be her last.

"I am, aren't I? But so are you? So are we all. There are no innocents anymore, Valerie. It's the cruel world and you are just a little too wrapped up in your little fantasies to see the truth. There is no happy ending. Not for me and certainly not for you," he finished his sentence and then he leapt, practically flying, so fast, too fast while Valerie moved to dart away.

Falling beneath the weight of her oppressor, Valerie let out a cry of rage and then she concentrated, forcing Julien to get off her and to crawl backwards, clutching his head. "You can kill me if you want, Julien, but it will not bring her back. And I am not the reason for her death," she spat out while hitting Stefan's number on her cell phone and the speaker button.

"Really? You don't feel that it was in anyway your fault?" Julien cocked his head to the side. "Oh, Valerie, everything is your fault. Your precious Stefan was attracted to the darkness because he met you. If you hadn't introduced him to the supernatural, if you hadn't broken his little heart, he would have never become a foul creature such as myself. You know that Stefan and I have a lot in common. He likes to kill pretty young ladies, such as yourself. Maybe I'll force him to drink you dry and tear your head off!"

"Go to hell!" Valerie shouted, her eyes filling with tears, blinding her momentarily which gave Julien the opportunity to lunge at her again.

This time, Valerie did not hit the wood floor. This time Julien hit the ground when the blur that appeared in front of Valerie sent Julien flying. "Lucky shot. Don't worry, it will be your last," Julien warned Stefan, who stood in front of Valerie, his fangs glowing in the light from the window.

"Stefan," Valerie cried. She did not have time to thank him because they focused on Julien who was breaking a leg off of a chair and twirling it between his fingers.

"Which one of you should I kill first? Hmmm? The heretic who ruined our lives? Or the vampire who does not understand that he should have felt more loyalty toward his mother than to the tramp who so easily spread her legs for him? Tough decision. However, I think I will let the gentleman go first. I'm sure your mother misses you. You can say hello for me, in hell!" Julien snarled moving toward Stefan with a wicked grin.

Valerie only had seconds to think about her next action. Cloaking both herself and Stefan, she moved directly in front of her former lover. She could hear Stefan's cry of protest, "Valerie, what the hell are you doing?" just as the stake embedded itself in her heart.

The spell dissolved as Valerie felt herself dying with Stefan crouched over her, "Valerie. Valerie, hey, come on, stay with me. Come on. You can't go like this!" Stefan shouted.

Valerie's last thought was whether or not Julien would kill Stefan while he sat there with her, cradling her head. "Please," was the last word she heard from him.

Stefan could only crouch on the floor with Valerie's head in his lap when Caroline burst through the doors. "Stefan, what the hell is going on here?" Caroline shouted at Stefan who was still crying, still shaking his head. "Oh, my God. Is she…? What happened?"

Shaking his head, Stefan couldn't think of what to say. He just didn't have words to express how painful this was to him. "Caroline, can you just go. Please. I need to be alone with her right now," he said, stroking Valerie's cheek.

"What?" Caroline's eyes narrowed. "Did you just tell me to leave?" she demanded, her voice rising in pitch. She was trying to be supportive of her boyfriend and here was telling her to get out. "Fine. I will go. I will go and never come back. Bye, Stefan!" she called over her shoulder.

Stefan tried to find the strength to cry out, to tell Caroline to stop, to tell her that she had the wrong impression. Anything. Anything at all would be better than what he had said. Sucking in a shaky breath, Stefan tried to get to his feet, but he couldn't. He couldn't get up. He couldn't move on. It was then that he realized that some part of him that he had buried deep down had been waiting for Valerie. And she had come back, but he had been too late.

"I love you," Stefan whispered into Valerie's ear even though he knew she couldn't hear him any longer. "I never stopped loving you. I never stopped waiting for you to come back to me. I'm so sorry. Now, rest my love, I'll see you again, one day," he promised, pressing his cheek to hers and then getting to his feet, lifting her into his arms and carrying her out of the bar. He knew where she should be, in the Salvatore crypt beside his mother and Elena so that one day their family would be whole.

 **Thank you for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing.**

 **Answers to guest reviews:**

 **Fear: Thank you for reviewing.**

 **Lexie: Ch. 4: You're welcome! I love Klaorline so I was happy that someone requested them to be part of one of the stories. Wouldn't that be nice? I would love to see more of female characters working together rather than at each other's throats over whatever.**

 **Ch. 5: I would love to see Damon and Val bond. I think the writers are creating a foundation for that friendship but we will just have to see. And, yes, Damon would be the head of the Steferie ship. Thank you!**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, my lovely readers. Sorry about the delay. This prompt was from Slayer1002. On with the show…**

Chapter 7: You're Safe

Valerie was miserable without her family. She thought if this day, where her family turned on her, ever came, she would feel free. However, Valerie did not feel free. She felt horrible. She felt lonely. She felt disgusted with the world and its inhabitants. They wouldn't even let her tell her side of the story. They simply chose Julian. It was a fight she should have known she would never win.

Walking through the empty streets of Mystic Falls, Valerie could not get over the feeling that she was not alone. "Whoever you are, show yourselves?" she demanded.

"It's only us, Valerie," Mary Louise called, appearing in front of Valerie, shattering the glamour.

"And me," Nora whispered into her ear. "Or did you think that we would let you get away with trying to break up our happy home. Hmmm? Silly, silly Valerie. Use your common sense, dear." Her grin was friendly but Valerie knew better.

"You tried to kill Julien," Mary Lou hissed, giving Valerie a shove.

"Yes. And I had good reason to. He—" Valerie began when she felt her air supply vanish as her throat began to close.

"Save your lies for someone who cares," Mary Louise snarled, continuing to squeeze her fist, tightening her grip, causing Valerie's vision to blur. It would not be that easy to kill her and they had gone through this type of thing before. Valerie knew that in the end Mary Louise would relent. If only because Nora would stop her. But it did not look as if Nora was in the mood to put a stop to the violence tonight as she stood aside and smiled.

"Hey, ladies. I know that you probably don't like to fight fair, but two against one, really?" Stefan's voice sounded from somewhere close and then Mary Louise sailed through the air. Nora hissed and turned on the male vampire. She began to chant when Stefan sped toward Valerie and yanked her to her feet.

Muttering under her breath, Valerie cloaked them and they were gone. "Thank you," she uttered before going limp in Stefan's arms. When she awoke, Stefan was sitting beside her in the bedroom that she was calling home for now.

"Feeling any better?" Stefan asking, picking up a steaming cup of tea and holding it out to her.

"Yes. You have remarkably good timing. I thought that my sisters had had meant to kill me this time 'round," Valerie wanted it to sound like a joke but she was not sure she was joking.

"You're safe now," Stefan replied, reaching out and stroking her arm.

"I suppose I am," Valerie said, taking a sip of the tea and then setting it aside. "I think I'll try to rest a while longer," she said, pulling the covers under her chin.

"Okay. I'll be downstairs if you need me," Stefan replied, getting to his feet.

"Stefan, wait," Valerie cried, sitting bolt upright.

"Yeah?" Stefan's eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"Would you mind, terribly, staying with me, just 'til I fall asleep?" she asked, wondering what he was thinking as his eyes traveled the room and then stopped to stare into her own.

"Yeah. Sure," Stefan nodded and then climbed onto the bed, on top of the covers and wrapped an arm around her waist as Valerie settled beside him, breathing in his scent. She had missed him so much. There were not words for all of the emotions that she felt while her lids grew heavy and her fingers moved down the blanket to entangle with Stefan's. For once, in a very long time, she felt safe.

 **Thank for reading, faving, following and reviewing.**

 **Answers to guest review:**

 **Lexie:** **I know. Julien is a creep. Yes, that kiss was something brilliant. I can add it to the list of prompts. I know. Poor Stef. That is typical. Writers give us positive scenes of female camaraderie and then they take them away.**

 **Peace,**

 **J**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello, my lovely readers. Thank you for the prompt, Silver-Infinite. Merry belated Christmas. On with the show…**

Chapter 8: Christmas Eve

New Orleans, 1874:

Stefan sat at the head of the table. His ten year old son, Jacob, was fiddling with the lacey table cloth, something that would have gotten him a sound slap on the ear if Stefan had not taken Valerie soon after she arrived at the front door of his home and run. They had not stopped running until they found refuge here, thanks to the Mikaelson family, but the Mikaelsons never offered their assistance without desire of payment in return.

Turning his head, Stefan focused on the old clock that ticked off the hour. Nine in the evening. The hour was growing late and still his wife, Valerie, had not made it home. "Papa, when will mother be home?" Jacob asked, peering up at his father showing the same impatience that Stefan felt.

"Soon, son. She would not miss our dinner together. I swear this to you," Stefan replied and hoped that he was not wrong. He straightened the black tie around his neck. It felt like a noose. Picking up the glass of red wine that was one half rabbit's blood, Stefan took a healthy sip.

Valerie took her time with her spells, especially when it was something done for their benefactors, for many reasons, including Klaus' constant reminder that their lives meant very little to him and if they did not do as he said he would end their lives. Stefan shook his head. It was thanks to Klaus' turning Valerie in 1865 and her coming home and not being able to fight the hunger, that she had almost killed Stefan. Elijah had come by that night, sensing trouble and found a hysterical Valerie, weeping over Stefan who was dying.

The noble Original had turned Stefan into what he was now. A demon. But better a demon and alive to care for his son, than buried beneath the earth, never to return. Now, Stefan simply wanted the Mikaelsons to release his wife from her duty for the night so that they might have a quiet dinner together.

Stefan started when there was a knock on the front door, twisting around in his chair, he got to his feet. "Jacob, stay here," Stefan ordered his son. Walking across the room, he closed the door to the dining room firmly behind him. He did not want any unexpected guests to notice that there was a child in the house.

For a moment, Stefan stood in front of the front door, listening to the sound of the two people breathing on the other side. Finally, he ripped it open and was relieved to see that one of the two people was Valerie. "She's quite exhausted after tonight's fiasco," Rebekah Mikaelson said, helping Valerie through the front door, not waiting for Stefan to move aside. "Whatever you might have had planned for tonight's festivities, you might want to wait until tomorrow. She's about to drop into a sound slumber." The blonde held onto Valerie who yawned widely, placing her hand to her mouth and giving Stefan an apologetic look.

"What have you done to her this time?" Stefan hissed at the Original sister.

"Me? Nothing. It was all Nik. He wanted this protection spell in place for tomorrow night. You can ask Valerie all about it. My work is done here." With that, Rebekah placed Valerie in her husband's arms before she strode to the door. "Have a lovely night."

Valerie was fighting off sleep when Jacob came out of the dining room. He so rarely did exactly as his father instructed him to do. In this, he and his uncle Damon had a lot in common. It stung Stefan to think of Damon and wonder how he felt when he came home from the war to find that Stefan had run away.

"Mama!" Jacob came running to his mother, embracing her.

"My sweet, little boy," Valerie cried, her energy renewed while she leaned down to enfold the boy in her arms. "I am sorry I am so late for supper. My work… took longer than expected. Now, let's see what your father has made for the Christmas Eve feast?" Taking Jacob's hand in hers, Valerie led her family back into the dining room. She took her place at the end of the table, facing Stefan with a smile. "Oh, I see that you have been hard at work yourself," she exclaimed.

"Yes, father spent almost the whole day cooking for us," Jacob said, grabbing a bread roll and taking a big bite. Stefan had been telling him for the past three hours that his mother would arrive at any moment. The child had been waiting for her before he would touch the food laid out for them. Now, he must be starving.

"Is it good?" Valerie asked Jacob who nodded and grinned at her as she took a bread roll of her own, taking a very unlady like bite, making their son laugh as she devoured the bread like it was her last meal.

Even though the food had grown cold, the family did not seem to take notice and they ate in peace. Jacob would speak up from time to time. "I started a new journal today. It will tell of my life in this mysterious world and of my pet, Mongoose," he told his parents.

"Jacob, you do know that Mongoose is a turkey, yes?" Stefan questioned his son.

"Yes," Jacob replied. "But I prefer the name, mongoose," he said stubbornly.

Valerie began to laugh at this for no reason until tears ran down her cheeks. Stefan could not help beginning to laugh himself and soon Jacob began to laugh. Neither of the men knew what was making the woman in their family laugh but they were content if she was happy.

"Stefan, is it not time for Jacob to be in bed?" Valerie asked, glancing at the clock and then at their son.

"But I am not tired," Jacob claimed just as he began to yawn.

"Right," Stefan chuckled before getting up and taking the boy by the hand. They went up the stairs, around a corner and into a small bedroom. "I'm not tired, papa," Jacob tried again but then he yawned, his lids drooping lower.

"Yes, I can that, son. The trouble is that if you do not sleep that Santa Claus will not be able to leave you presents beneath the tree. He does not like to worry about little boys not sleeping when he has so many to deliver to." Stefan explained.

"Yes, father," Jacob muttered into his pillow, rolling over and closing his eyes.

"I will see you in the morning," Stefan whispered, kissing Jacob on the forehead and tucking him in.

Returning to the dining room, he found that Valerie was wide awake and sipping the wine. "Klaus insists that we attend his ball tomorrow," she told Stefan the minute he set a foot inside the room.

"Why? Doesn't he know it's Christmas?" Stefan demanded.

"He says that it is important," Valerie muttered into her wine glass, taking a deeper sip before setting it aside and giving Stefan a long look. "We can't upset him."

"We could run," Stefan suggested.

"He would find us," Valerie replied, shaking her head, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Valerie… It will be alright, honey. We will find a way," Stefan said, coming to kneel in front of his wife. "I will make a deal with him to ensure that you can leave and take Jacob with you."

"No, we stay together. As a family," Valerie swore, taking Stefan's hands. "No matter the challenges we face, I always know that I can bear them as long as I have the two of you with me. My spirit would break if I lost either of you. You will not leave me, not me, you, Stefan Salvatore. I stay by your side no matter what, or who threatens us," Valerie uttered with the same conviction she had recited their vows under an old apple tree with Klaus presiding over the wedding that first year here.

"I love you," Stefan said, seeking his wife's lips.

"I know," Valerie whispered back, pressing her lips more firmly to his.

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following** **and reviewing.**

 **Peace,**

 **J**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello, my lovely readers. This is just a short extension of the last Stef/Val scene from 7x05 and thank you to Mysteria for the prompt. On with the show…**

Chapter 9: Our Baby

Damon was not happy that nothing seemed to be going as planned and he was prowling through the Lockwood mansion like he was about to tear someone to pieces. He only stopped when he heard Stefan and Valerie talking in hushed tones. Crossing his arms over his chest, he took a position just out of sight so that he could hear them but not be seen.

"I do not presume to know who you are now, or what you wanted—" Valerie was saying when Stefan interrupted.

"Yes," Stefan replied, his tone somber. "Yes, I would have wanted the child," he said quietly and Damon's eyes widened.

 _What the…_ Damon was thinking, when there was a gasp from the other room.

"Did you hear that?" Stefan asked. Valerie did not answer right away. Looking at the younger Salvatore brother, her eyebrows lifted before her head rotated toward the couch.

"Oh," Valerie cried. "Oh, my God!" She could not put words to the emotions that were gripping her right then. This was not possible. She must be trapped inside some happy dream that would end in gore and suffering.

Stefan moved forward, seemingly having the same impression that Valerie did. This was a dangerous illusion, not to be trifled with. Gingerly, he pulled the blanket that was covering the tiny bundle that was squirming on the couch. " _How_?" Stefan was dumbstruck. There was no logical explanation for what he was seeing. It was simply impossible, but right in front of his eyes was an infant, swaddled in a blanket that looked like it was made over a century ago. And there was a baby staring up at him with large eyes, pink gums showing as it whimpered.

"Oh," Valerie moaned again as she moved to stand beside Stefan. She leaned down and picked the baby up, holding him close to her chest. "Do not fret, little one. We're here now," she said with a happy laugh while tears stung at the backs of her lids. "We're here _now_."

"So the spell worked," Stefan finally said. "You _saved_ him."

"How, I don't know. This is… I…" Valerie could not think clearly as she stroked the baby's hair. "I would give anything for this to be true and not some figment of my imagination," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Not your imagination. Unless we all drank the Kool-Aid," Damon added, coming into the room. "Look who's got a Norman Rockwell moment on their hands," he cried, his voice laced with sarcasm but he was smiling in the way that he hadn't smiled since he lost Elena. "Congrats. I think there are some cigars around here somewhere."

"You _see_ him, too?" Stefan asked his brother who grinned back at him.

"Yeah, Stef, I see him. What are we going to call the newest member of the Salvatore household?" Damon inquired while pouring himself a drink.

"Jacob," Stefan replied, looking to Valerie who grinned at their baby.

"Hello, Jacob. Welcome home," Valerie cooed to the baby who cooed back.

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.**

 **Answers to Guest reviews:**

 **Lexie: Ch. 7: I know. Stef with the save. If only there had been some Val and Stef moments last night although I love Damon.**

 **Ch. 8 review: I think there is probably another request in their somewhere for more Jacob and Stef moments but if there isn't, I will write a story with a little Jacob and Stef. I hope you had a happy holiday season.**

 **Gabriela: Thank you for the prompt and don't worry about the grammar, you should see my work before I edit it.**

 **Peace,**

 **J**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: You are Nothing

Carrying a secret for over a hundred years had become a weight hanging about her. Nothing could take the pain away. Nothing could change what had happened. The loneliness that accompanied not being able to tell them of the heinous crime became too much and one day Valerie decided that she had to tell Mary Louise and Nora everything. And if only she had chosen a different day to unburden herself, they might have reacted differently...

"Nora, you don't love me anymore," Mary Louise hissed at her lover.

"I can't _stand_ the way that you hover. You will not allow me to breathe the same air as another being without _thinking_ that I'm flirting with them," Nora shouted back. They were standing in a dorm room at Whitmore college. Nora had believed that they were having a perfectly fine time together, unpacking and making the room their home when Mary Lou noticed a flyer about a party that a girl jn the hallway had given Nora. That was what had begun this row. Some stupid girl, who should have been lunch.

"You were _eyeing_ her like she was supper. Only you _didn't_ try to bite her," Mary Louise hissed back, her teeth shining in the sunshine coming in through the blinds.

Nora would ordinarily kiss the insecurities away but she had had quite enough of Mary Lou's behavior. If they were going to have a life together, Mary Lou would have to learn to live with Nora talking to other people instead of this silly childish behavior of hers. "Mary Lou, I will _not_ defend myself to you, _again_ ," Nora growled when there was a tap on the door.

"Go away," Mary Lou shouted. "If that is your little twit, I will rip her eyes out and feed them to you," she threatened Nora who smirked back.

"Mary Louise. Nora. It's me, Valerie… I need to speak with you. It's urgent. Please. Let me in," Valerie called through the door.

Nora's heart squeezed a tiny bit at the sound of the other heretic's voice. There was something wrong; she could hear it. However, it was Mary Louise who went to fetch her. "What do you want?" Mary Louise snapped when Valerie edged past her and into the room. Slamming the door closed, Mary Louise came to stand behind Valerie with Nora coming to stand in front of her.

"This _isn't_ the best of times, Valerie," Nora said quietly, her tone a warning of the trouble Valerie had walked into.

"I know. But when is a good time? I don't think any of us know what that would be like," Valerie told them.

Mary Louise's lips quirked upward in the mirthless smile that she directed at Nora. "Yes, well, get on with it," she ordered.

"It's… It's about Julian," Valerie began, her voice quavering.

"What about him? Is he alright? Is he _back_?" Mary Louise moved around Valerie and took Nora's hand, gripping it tightly.

"No. I hope _not_. That's not what I'm here to…," Valerie looked away, toward the window and then back at Nora. "Before we were trapped… When I was with Stefan…"

" _Out_ with it," Mary Louise snapped, dropping Nora's hand and placing her hands on her hips.

"I was _pregnant_. I was pregnant with _Stefan's_ child. Julian. Julian found out and he beat me. He beat me until I _lost_ my child. He knew Lily would not leave without me. He wanted to go. and he would not be stopped," Valerie said in a rush, wiping away at tears that were coursing down her cheeks.

"You little _liar_!" Mary Louise spat out.

"Why wouldn't you tell us?" Nora cried. She could not believe that Valerie would keep something like this from them. Were they not her sisters? Had they not shown to her that they would do anything for her. This story did not make sense. And why tell them now?

"You are a whore. A deceitful lying, little _whore_! You would do anything to keep Stefan, even make up a sad tale of woe of a lost baby. Lily will be _disgusted_ when she finds out how you're trying to manipulate her son. She'll _kill_ you for this," Mary Louise yelled, her blue eyes flashing with her rage. "I should kill you myself, save her the trouble."

" _Nora_?" Valerie looked to the brunette who looked to Mary Louise. She could tell that if she sided with Valerie that there would be a bigger price to pay then taking a bloody flyer.

"Go, Valerie, don't come back with your _lies_ ," Nora spat, not bothering to look to Valerie, already hearing the sobs that ripped through the other girl as she ran from their room. Sitting down, Nora looked out the window, feeling her heart constricting again. What if Mary Lou was wrong? What if Valerie was telling the truth?

"Shall we finish unpacking?" Mary Louise asked, turning to an unopened box. "When we get done, I suggest that we go talk to Lily about the trouble that Valerie is trying to stir up this time."

Continuing to stare out the window, Nora caught sight of Valerie hurrying away from their dorm, still sobbing. "Serves her right," Mary Louise commented, coming to stand beside Nora, folding a sweater.

"What have we done?" Nora muttered under her breath before getting up and walking out the door.

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.**

 **Peace,**

 **J**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello, my lovely readers. This is for a tumblr prompt where an anon asked me to write a hot Steferie story. It's AU/AH and all human. On with the show…**

Chapter 11: Steamy

It had been a long week for Valerie Tulle. She had to deal with her quarreling "sisters," Mary Louise and Nora who could not stop arguing once they settled in their new apartment. How Valerie had been roped into helping them unpack, she would never know. There was no end to her relief when she had gotten back to her own flat where she had passed out only to be wakened up by the incessant sound of her cell chiming.

"Alright," Valerie groaned, rubbing at a tiny line of drool that had coursed down her chin. "Ugh." Blinking at the name on the screen, Valerie rolled her eyes before sitting up and hitting the answer button.

"Val-er-ie!" Caroline Forbes squealed into the phone excitedly. "You will never guess what Bonnie did!" she continued in an eardrum shattering tone.

"Dyed her hair purple?" Valerie inquired drily, wincing when Caroline squealed again.

"Nooooo! She got _married_! Can you _believe_ it?" Caroline did not give Valerie time to answer. "And she didn't even invite us. I mean we were only her roommates for like the _most_ important time of her college years and were _totally_ there for her during the chaos that was grad school. And now she goes and gets married without even telling us. How _rude_ is that?" Again, Caroline did not bother to wait for an answer while Valerie got off her bed in search of clean clothing. "So I'm going to make her make it up to us with a proper ceremony and bridal shower and pre-wedding preparations where we'll spend a day at a spa… Valerie, are you even listening to me?"

" _Yes_ , Caroline, you have my full attention," Valerie replied, examining a pair of jeans and then disgarding them in disgust.

"Good, because we're doing the spa thing tomorrow and the bridal shower today," Caroline chirped. "Which means you need to be at my house ASAP!"

Sighing, Valerie counted to five. Caroline could be a very sweet girl. She could also drive Valerie quiet mad. "Yes, I will be there in five. Cheers." Hanging up the phone, Valerie forced herself to trudge into the bathroom. This was going to be a nice, quiet, stress-free day, not a day in which she would have to smile cheerfully and be nice to people.

An hour later, Valerie was standing in front of Caroline's little house that she had inherited from her mother. Caroline jerked the door open and yanked Valerie inside. "Did you get a present?" she asked the other girl.

"Oh, no. I knew there was _something_ that I forgot. I'll just pop out and find something. Be back before you know it," Valerie started to edge back out the door when Caroline grabbed her in a death-grip.

"No! No, it's _fine_. I can put your name on the card for the present I got Bonnie," Caroline said quickly. "You need to help referee between Bonnie and Damon's mom."

" _Who_?" Valerie felt confused as she was pushed father into the small living room that was packed with women, some she knew, some she had never seen before in her life.

"Damon and Stefan Salvatore's mom," Caroline looked at Valerie like she had lost her mind. "We knew them in high school. Oh, _wait_. You didn't go to high school with us. Okay, so Damon is the best friend of Bonnie's new husband, Enzo. And he also dated my best friend, Elena, before she was in that car accident and went into a coma. It's just _really_ complicated. Anyway, the point is that Enzo used to have a crush on Damon's mom and it's really _weird_ because apparently she kind of liked him too. _Not_ in high school because that would make her like a predator or something. No, she liked him in college, so she's a cougar. _Don't_ tell Stefan I said that."

" _Who's_ a cougar?" Bonnie asked, coming up behind Caroline who jumped before turning with a wide smile.

"Lily!" Caroline stage-whispered, eyeing the older woman who was talking to Mary Louise and Nora.

"Oh!" Bonnie laughed. "Yeah. I'm soooo over that."

"Congratulations!" Valerie cried to Bonnie who beamed. "I can't believe you're the first of us to tie the knot."

"I know. We _all_ thought it would be Caroline. But Enzo wanted to go to Vegas and one thing lead to another." Bonnie could not stop smiling and Valerie felt a prickle of envy. The last relationship she had had was with a ficus plant which had withered that spring.

The rest of the party continued with lots of games that Caroline forced on them. Bonnie opened her presents; most of them bought by Caroline who had signed other people's names to them. When the night ended, Valerie could not wait to get home but she was stopped at the door. " _Where_ do you think you're going?" Caroline had huffed.

" _Home_. I need to sleep," Valerie yawned to make her point.

"Uh-huh. I thought we could have a sleepover and then go to the spa together because we're the bridesmaids," Caroline replied with a do-not-argue-with-me tone.

"Resistance is futile," Bonnie called from the kitchen where she was mixing drinks.

"Fine," Valerie muttered, trudging back into the living room and sitting down on the couch with a frown.

"So, tell me about any guys you're dating," Caroline said, plopping down with a drink in hand.

Valerie took the drink that Bonnie handed her as the bride grabbed a pillow and sat down in front of the couch. "None."

" _What_?" Caroline's eyes widened. " _None_? As in not any? How is that possible? You're young. You're hot. Are the guys _blind_?"

Valerie shrugged while Bonnie giggled at Caroline's dramatics. "We are _definitely_ hooking you up with someone. Bonnie, who are Enzo's single friends?"

"Hmmm… Damon… But I think he's still hung up on someone. Let's see. There's Klaus Mikaelson," she said when Caroline let out a loud cough. Bonnie's eyebrows rose and Valerie looked at Caroline who was glaring at Bonnie. "O-kay. I guess someone has dibs on that _one_. Thinking. Thinking. How 'bout… Oh, _Stefan_!"

"Stefan. He's cute. He's nice. He needs to get _laid_. Like seriously, he hasn't been in a serious relationship in for-ever. You two would be _perfect_ for each other," Caroline crowed.

"Right," Valerie was not convinced since she had never met this Stefan person before. "Are you sure that Klaus isn't available?" she joked, causing Caroline to glare at her. "I'm kidding."

At some point they had to have fallen asleep because Valerie woke up with Caroline hovering over her with a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water. "Come on, Val, we need to get moving. We only have an _hour_ before we're supposed to be at the spa."

"Ugh," Valerie groaned as she sat up and popped a pill. Getting to her feet, she managed to find Caroline's bedroom and to stare in horror at the sundress that Caroline had apparently dressed her in in her sleep. "Caroline!" she bellowed.

Bonnie came in with a veil made of toilet paper on her head and another sundress. "She did it to me too. I think we'll just have to bear with it for today. _And_ tomorrow."

Shaking her head, Valerie ran a comb through her hair before giving up and following Bonnie out of the house. Caroline was talking the whole ride to the spa and she only shut up during the massages where she began to moan like she was in the middle of intercourse. That made Valerie get up early to find the steam room. If she could get there early, maybe she could have five minutes to herself.

Walking into the steam room in her bath towel, Valerie did not see anyone at first, so she took a seat and began to unwind. "Hey," a voice called and she blinked before realizing that there was a man in here with her.

"Ummm… Hello?" she replied. "I think I have the _wrong_ room. They do keep the sexes separate in these places, yes?" Getting up, Valerie was going to leave when the man spoke again.

"Yeah. They do. Actually, this _is_ the women's steam room. But there was no one in here and my brother was getting on my nerves so I wanted to kind of get away. Sorry, I'll leave." The man got up and headed for the door.

Valerie felt her breathing stop when the man was walking by her. How long had it been since she had been alone with a man? She had lost count of the years. It had to be three, at least. "You know, you _don't_ have to go, if you don't want to, that is," she trailed off, watching him.

The man turned to examine her. She thought his eyes might be green but she wasn't sure thanks to the haze of the steam. What she could make out was his light brown hair and the muscles in his shoulders, moving downward. When were Caroline and Bonnie going to show up anyway?

"You're sure that won't be weird?" the man asked quietly.

"No. Not at all," Valerie replied. "I wouldn't mind having company. I haven't spent time with a decent chap in a long time."

"What makes you think I'm decent?" the man asked, crossing his arms over his chest and grinning at her.

"I'm a good judge of character and you haven't tried anything, yet," Valerie replied.

" _Yet_?" the man teased. "You think that I'm going to make a move on you in a public steam room?"

"Well, even a decent sort might at least think about it," Valerie replied, tilting her head to the side.

" _Really_?" the man laughed and Valerie laughed with him. "How do you define decent, anyway?"

"Anything that does not involve the man trying to get me drunk or slipping his hand under my skirt within five minutes of meeting me," Valerie informed him.

"Then you should _never_ be alone with my brother because he would do all of the above," he said.

"Then it's a good thing I'm here with you and not him. Lucky me," she said, taking a seat.

"Lucky you," he took a seat next to her. "I'm Stefan. Stefan Salvatore."

"Oh, my. My friend, Caroline was telling all me about you just last night," Valerie grinned when Stefan's eyebrows rose.

"Oh, wait, you're _Valerie_ , the roommate from college. Caroline's been trying to get me to go out with you for months," Stefan told Valerie whose face flushed.

"Then why didn't you try to go out with me?" Valerie asked Stefan.

"Because Caroline is Caroline and I was afraid of what you were like," Stefan explained.

"I _completely_ understand," Valerie told him. "That's why I was afraid when she was telling me last night that I should go out with _you_."

"That's Caroline. She's a matchmaker," Stefan said with a shake of his head. After a moment he added, "So, do you want to go to a wedding with me?" he asked.

"Well, I did intend on going with this guy that my friend was trying to set me up with, but I suppose I could go with you instead, strange man that I met in the Ladies' steam room."

"Great, because I was going to get stuck with this girl that my friend kept trying to hook me up with for months. It's such a relief that you're helping me out like this." Stefan retorted, his face moving ever closer to Valerie's.

Valerie leaned closer and ran her hand through his hair as his lips pressed to hers. She really hoped that no one came into the steam room at that moment as she moved closer to Stefan as the kiss became more urgent. Pulling away, she looked at Stefan. "I don't have sex on the first date," she whispered.

"Neither do I. So it's a good thing we're _not_ on a date," he told her, pressing his lips to hers again and tugging her atop him.

Wrapping her legs around Stefan's waist, Valerie thought about how embarrassed she would be if her friends walked in on her like this while she tugged Stefan's towel loose. When he pulled her towel off, she stopped thinking about her friends or getting caught while this stranger slid his hands over her body making her feel things she had never felt.

"Whoa," Stefan moaned when they disengaged and Valerie pulled her towel back around her body. "That was…"

"Intense," Valerie sighed.

"Yeah," Stefan replied, taking ahold of her face and kissing her again. "I think we should do that again. Like, after the wedding."

"Or during. Do you really think we'll be missed?" Valerie asked, in between kisses.

"No, not at all. Or you could come over to my place _tonight_. I can cook us dinner," Stefan suggested. "And, since we are going to this wedding together, I could drive us there."

"It would save you from having to pick me up," Valerie agreed.

"And we won't get arrested when someone walks in on us," Stefan muttered into her ear before getting up and setting Valerie on her feet.

"Yes, that would be remarkable," Valerie sighed. "I think I should leave first, just to make sure that no one sees you coming out and gets the right impression of what we've been up to. Shall I?" Stefan nodded and she ducked out into a corridor to find most of the wedding party standing outside, waiting for them. "Oh, my!"

"Oh, my _indeed_ ," Enzo looked greatly amused with his arms wrapped around Bonnie who was grinning from ear to ear.

"You got _some_ ," Caroline whispered, loudly to Valerie who shook her head.

"We already know, baby bro, so you can begin your walk of shame," a raven haired man who could only be Stefan's older brother called, popping his head into the steam room.

"I'm not ashamed. This is my _fiancée_ ," Stefan snapped at his brother. "Sorry I didn't tell you before. Now you know," he added, coming out and wrapping an arm around Valerie's waist.

"What? _You're_ getting married! Why is _everyone_ going to get married before _me_!" Caroline whined.

"They say the _best_ is saved for last," Klaus told her and Caroline rolled her eyes before walking into the steam room.

"Are you _coming_?" Caroline yelled and Klaus ducked inside.

"Okay. That place needs to be sanitized," Bonnie cried, wrinkling her nose.

"Does this mean we have to guard the door, _again_?" Damon groaned.

"Have fun with that," Stefan called, taking Valerie's hand and hurrying off with her toward the showers. "I think we'll have to part ways here."

"Yes," Valerie turned toward the women's room and then she stopped. "What you said before… about getting married."

"Yeah?" Stefan's eyes sparkled as Valerie looked up at him.

"Did you mean it?" she asked.

"Yes. If you'll have me," Stefan said sincerely.

"But we _just_ met. We don't even know each other," Valerie protested.

"I have never felt the way about anyone in my _entire_ life like how I felt about you in the limited time we've had together and I want to see if that can translate to a life's worth of happiness," Stefan told her and Valerie threw herself into Stefan's arms.

"I think we can shower at your place, can't we?" Valerie questioned Stefan who nodded. "And then we can start with that life of happiness." The two left the spa in their towels, drawing stares from people in the parking lot but they were too happy to care.

 **Send me your prompts.**

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello, my lovely readers. I missed Steferie or whatever we call this ship and I love Halloween so I thought I'd give my fans a treat. On with the show…**

Chapter 12: Trick or Treat, Mommy

"Damn it," Valerie Salvatore cried, tripping over a mislaid toy. She leaned down and picked up her son, Jacob,'s plastic train. "Jacob," she called to hear the Boarding House echoing around her. Of course her men had decided to go off on a pre-trick-or-treating expedition without cleaning up first. Tsking, Valerie picked up the toys and carried them upstairs. She dumped them on her son's bed. His father could put them up when he got home.

Heading back down, Valerie walked to the kitchen and flicked on the radio that she kept there for when she got bored cleaning the dishes. She flipped the dial and listened to the classic Halloween music. A pumpkin sat on the counter, yet to be cut up. Opening a drawer, she pulled out a wicked looking butcher knife.

"I didn't do it," Damon, her brother-in-law, called as he entered the kitchen and grabbed a piece of candy from the bag that she just bought. "Ready for Jake's first Trick-or-Treat?"

"No," Valerie said, shaking her head and began to slice into the pumpkin. She tried not to think of how Caroline Mikaelson—Stefan's best friend,'s pumpkins would look. Scary in their perfection. Then again, it was Caroline's husband, Klaus, who wielded the knives in the family during this time of year. His artistic abilities put everyone else's sad little pumpkins to shame.

"Hey, _hey_! What did that pumpkin ever do to you, sister?" Damon complained and Valerie looked down to find that she had been trying to cut the poor dear in half. "Okay, lady, put _down_ the knife and keep your hands where I can see them."

Valerie set the knife down, sighing. "Sorry, Damon, I just have a lot on my mind. That's all."

"You mean because you and Stef are trying and…" Damon trailed off when Valerie gave him a searing look. "You know, I think Stef is _perfectly_ happy with you and Jake. And you can adopt. Lena, Amanda and I are one happy little family."

Smiling, Valerie placed her hands on the counter. "Has Mandy decided what she wants to go as this year?"

"Either Ariel or Belle. Definitely in the Disney princess family," Damon said, grabbing another Snickers bar.

"Off." Valerie reached over, smacking Damon's hand. "You can eat your daughter's candy. These are for the trick-or-treaters."

"Oh, and _who_ is going to be here to hand out the goodies?" Damon quipped.

Valerie bit her lower lip. "Your mother," she said.

Damon choked on the candy bar. " _What_?" he snapped, bits of candy bar spraying the counter.

"Damon!" Valerie cried, exasperated as she went to get a dish towel to clean up the mess. "She only gets to see the kids every so often when she's in town."

"Yeah. Because she's out mothering everyone else's kids," Damon grumbled, taking the towel and cleaning up his mess.

" _Precisely_. And that is why you should be nicer to her," Valerie snapped, placing a hand on her hip.

"You know, just because she took you in and made you the wonderful little sister-in-law I know and _tolerate_ does not mean that you get to tell me how to treat her!" Damon argued, his blue eyes glowing when Stefan walked in with Jacob.

"Is there something wrong?" Stefan asked, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, cutting off the only means of escape.

"Nope. Not at all," Damon replied with a wide grin. He grabbed another piece of chocolate before he turned to his nephew. "Catch!" he cried and Jacob held up his hands in front of him, catching the chocolate bar and smiling happily.

"Brush your teeth after you eat that," Valerie called after her son.

"Ignore her," Damon could be heard saying.

Narrowing her eyes at the empty doorway, Valerie grabbed the dirty dish towel and squeezed it. Stefan came over and wrapped his arms around her. "You left Jake's toys on the floor."

"You mean _Damon_ left Jake's toys on the floor." Stefan peered down at his wife who buried her face in his chest, letting go of the dish towel and taking comfort in his embrace.

"Of course. Shouldn't he be…doing something else? Trying to find a new job? Doesn't Elena worry that they will become destitute?" Valerie looked up at her husband, hoping he would say something sensible.

"He's Damon. He'll find something. People like him. I'm sure, if nothing else, Liz will hire him," Stefan told her.

Valerie shook her head. "That is what the world needs now: Damon Salvatore with a firearm and a badge."

"It could be worse. He could have decided to get into politics," Stefan reminded her.

Valerie let out a laugh. "You know that Mary Lou is trying to sue the city council for discrimination?" she inquired.

"Of what?" Stefan asked, stroking her hair.

"She and Nora placed a pair of witches on their front lawn holding hands and the council ordered them to take it down saying it was _obscene_." Valerie related the tale.

"That doesn't make any sense. It's a small town. People can be dull witted still, fearing that their children might be tainted by my sister's lesbianism."

"You'd think people could wake up and remember what century they're living in." Stefan kissed the top of Valerie's head. "You think they'll boycott Halloween?"

"No. It means the world to Charlotte and it's her first Halloween with them as a family. She's eight. She needs to go out and enjoy the day." Valerie pulled away from Stefan. "Speaking of which, did Jake settle on a costume yet?"

"Yeah." Stefan rolled his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Valerie had a bad feeling.

"He wants to go as his hero," Stefan told her.

"Right. Shall I make the costume?" Valerie moved to leave the room when Stefan caught her by the arm.

"He wants to dress up as Uncle Damon," Stefan told her. Valerie inhaled and then exhaled letting her head drop.

"Where did I fail him? At what point? Where did I go _wrong_?" Valerie moaned, placing her hands over her face.

"Great news," Damon called, stepping into the kitchen. "I've got a mini-me. Check this out!"

Jacob came in in a tiny leather jacket, black t-shirt, jeans and a pair of black boots. "Damon Salvatore," Jacob said, smirking at his parents.

"Dear God," Stefan let out laugh. "It really is like having two of you."

Valerie shook her head. "I think I feel a headache coming on," she cried.

"Don't you like it, Mommy?" Jacob's wide eyes caught Valerie's and she smiled, bending down so they were the same height.

"I love everything you love, Jake," Valerie told her five-year-old, cupping his cheek and giving him a light kiss on the forehead.

"Ew! Cooties," Damon cried and Jake giggled as his uncle scooped him up with one arm, carrying him away. "We have to run away from the Cootie Monster. And away we go!"

Stefan wrapped his arms around Valerie and she leaned into him. "This is going to be a _long_ night," he told her.

"Yes," Valerie replied but she was smiling.

After a long period of indecision, Valerie picked a pair of bunny ears and used a stick of eyeliner to create whiskers and a nose. She examined her handiwork before turning and groaning. "Not you, _too_ , Stefan."

"Nope. Not Stefan, _Damon_ ," Stefan said slowly, moving toward her with a smirk that looked eerily like his brother's.

" _No_ , do _not_ attempt to kiss me when you look like that," Valerie warned him, trying to flee but he caught her, kissing her deeply when they were interrupted.

"Dear, God. For a minute I thought _I_ was kissing Val. I would have needed so much therapy after that!" Damon called from the doorway and Valerie glared at him. Damon put his hands up. "Okay. Okay. _Sorry_. It's time to meet up with my little wifey and the apple of my eye."

"Where's Jake?" Valerie asked, giving Damon a suspicious look when he suddenly began to back up. "Damon!" she shouted after her brother-in-law, chasing him out the door and down the stairs.

"Hide the evidence. Hurry! She's coming!" Damon was saying when she entered the great room to find Jake, his mouth covered in chocolate.

"Hi, Mommy," Jake said with a look of innocence what would have made her smile if she didn't want to kill Damon.

"Did you feed him more chocolate, Damon?" Valerie demanded.

"Val," Stefan began when she held up a hand.

The doorbell rang and Valerie shook her head. "This is _not_ over." Striding to the door, she opened it to find Lily Salvatore waiting for her. "Valerie," Lily cried, opening her arms for a hug.

"Lily," Valerie smiled widely, hugging the woman who had taken her in at sixteen when her parents could not handle her temper and anger issues. She had been one of five troubled teens that came to live with the Salvatore family. Beau and Malcom had left years ago but the girls stayed behind, each for her own reason, Valerie's being Stefan, Nora's and Mary Louise's having found a home. Valerie and Beau were still close. He had walked her down the aisle and been there when she had Jake. They e-mailed each other every day.

"Where is my grandson?" Lily called and Jake came running.

"Grandma Lily," he shouted, leaping into her arms.

"Hey, mom," Stefan greeted her, coming to give her a one-armed hug.

Damon came to lean against a wall. "Mother," he nodded at Lily. He had always been more than slightly jealous of all the time Lily devoted to helping children that weren't her own, wishing she had more time for him and Stefan.

"Damon," Lily replied with a smile.

Damon rolled his eyes. "It's time to _go_ ," he told them, moving around his mother, trying to avoid touching her and opening the door.

"We'll see you again soon," Valerie promised.

"Bye, mom," Stefan kissed his mother on the cheek before taking Jacob, following Valerie and Damon out of the house.

"You _didn't_ have to be rude," Valerie whispered to Damon as Stefan walked slightly ahead of them with Jacob, pointing out Halloween decorations in other people's yards.

Damon pursed his lips. He was about to answer when Amanda Salvatore came running down the sidewalk, her long brown hair flying behind her. "Daddy!" she shrieked, leaping into her father's arms.

"Mandy!" Damon laughed, holding his daughter. Elena came down the sidewalk with a wide smile for her husband, a pair of angel's wings appearing from behind her jacket. "Lena," he called, holding out an arm to her.

"Hey," Elena greeted him with a tender kiss.

"Aunt Elena. Aunt Elena! Guess who I am!" Jacob cried, tugging at her jeans.

"Umm," Elena tapped her chin before looking at Damon and then Stefan. "Your dad?"

"No, Silly, I'm Uncle Damon!" Jacob yelled at his aunt.

"Oh, that explains it," Elena said with a laugh. "And what about you, Stefan, who are you supposed to be?"

"Damon, too," Stefan told her with a grin.

"Yes, now there are _three_ of them," Valerie moaned and Elena laughed, taking her arm.

"It's not so bad. They grow on you." Elena nodded at Damon who twirled his daughter in her Princess something costume. Valerie couldn't remember which one was which from that Frozen movie. Amanda was the darker haired one.

"Faster, daddy, faster!" Amanda cried. Damon twirled her until Elena coughed and he slowed down.

"Jacob! Mandy!" Hope Mikaelson came running down the block with Josie and Lizzie Saltzman in tow. The three girls were inseparable. Always running in a little pack. They were practically sisters. Caroline had carried the twins as a surrogate for her friends, Alaric and Jo Saltzman. Hope was the daughter her husband had before he and Caroline got together. Now they were one big happy family. Even Hayley, Hope's mother, had found happiness with Klaus' brother, Elijah, and their son, Henry.

"Hope," Jake's smile widened and his hand reached for hers.

"Puppy love," Stefan stage-whispered. The kids ignored him, talking to each other and making plans.

"Hey!" Caroline called, hand on her back as she moved slowly toward them. "How _many_ times have I told you girls not to run off like that?"

"A billion!" Josie said.

"A million!" Lizzie added.

"No, a trillion times a trillion!" Hope cried, holding out her tiny hands. She smiled at everyone. The six-year-old girl had a way of making everyone smile with her, much like her father.

"Did you find them?" Klaus shouted to Caroline who turned toward him, one hand on her large belly. He came from around a corner, jogging in place and looking around his wife to catch sight of the girls.

"Thank God! Ric would kill me _after_ Hayley got done with me," Klaus said with a wide smile. He and Caroline joined their group.

"Hi, Mr. Mikaelson," Jacob greeted Hope's father with a nervous grin.

"Hello, Jacob, are you enjoying Halloween thus far?" Klaus inquired, his eyes stopping on Jacob's hand clutching his daughter's.

"Yup!" Jacob said.

"Let's go!" Hope cried and the kids took off toward a house.

"No running!" Caroline yelled after them. "Seriously! They _never_ listen to me!" she moaned. Klaus began to rub her back as they continued to walk, watching the kids run from house to house.

Valerie noticed a pattern. Every couple of houses, they noticed a pair of witches, holding hands. Stopping at the Lockwood house, they found another set of witches holding hands. Liv Lockwood, Valerie's cousin, answered the door. "Hey, everyone!" Liv cried, holding a bowl full of candy.

"Where's Tyler?" Stefan asked.

"Ty's taking Mason and Rachel trick-or-treating so I can catch up on scary movies and pass out treats. You'll probably run into him at some point." Liv handed out candy to each of the kids. "You're coming by this weekend, right?" she called to Valerie.

"Wouldn't miss it," Valerie called back. They had a family reunion around this time of year and Liv hated them almost as much as Liv did, so they always showed up together. This year was Liv's turn to host and she was in no hurry.

They moved further into town. Stopping at Donavon's where Damon and Stefan's cousin, Sarah, lived with her fiancée, Matt. "Hey," Sarah greeted the kids in a vampire costume.

"Where's Matt?" Damon inquired with a smirk. "Patrolling the streets, trying to make sure no kids take too much candy?"

"He's at the station helping Sherriff Forbes while most of the guys are at home with their kids. It's the luck of the draw when you're not parents yet." Sarah shrugged but smiled before closing the door in her cousin's face.

Stefan stifled a laugh. On their way down the sidewalk, Tyler appeared, looking worn out as Mason and Rachel ran away from him. "Slow down! Next time, your mom's taking you!" he shouted after his twins.

Valerie laughed. She couldn't help it. She felt lucky that her family's tendency toward having twins had skipped her. She loved Jake but the idea of two of him made her head spin.

"Hey!" Tyler called to them. "Anybody want to trade kids? Klaus? Elena? Valerie? _Anybody_?"

"No!" they shook their heads as their kids ran off to join forces with Ty's twins.

"That can't be good," Stefan whispered to Valerie and then their kids took off in two different directions.

"Come find us!" the kids cried and Caroline let out an angry snarl.

"Calm down, love," Klaus murmured.

Elena looked worried but Damon seemed calm. "There are only so many places they can go in a town this small," he reassured the group.

Valerie did not want to take a chance. "Stefan, let's go," she ordered her husband. He followed her as she moved down the block at a quick pace, keeping an eye out for a mini-Damon and a tiny brunette ballerina. Hope would not leave Jacob's side. And the twins would be with them so that made four kids in a group. Easier to find on any night but Halloween. "Jacob!" Stefan called.

"Jacob!" Valerie cried, looking into people's bushes. An older woman gave her a look. "Our son took off!" she told the woman who nodded.

"Call the cops," the woman advised.

Valerie did not want to call and force either Matt or Liz to go looking for the kids and Caroline probably already made the call. They spent half an hour searching when they came across a house with one teal pumpkin and one orange in front. A young man stood out front, doling out candy and toys to the kids.

"One of each for all," Kol Mikaelson declared cheerfully as Valerie and Stefan approached him, spotting Jake, Hope, Josie and Lizzie sitting beside him. "And these are someone's mummy and daddy!" he declared.

"Jake!" Valerie sunk to her knees, collecting her son in her arms. "Do not ever scare me like that _again_ ," she cried, tears running down her cheeks. "I thought you were lost."

"I wasn't lost. Hope knew where to go and Josie fell down and skinned her knee and Kol fixed her up and gave us toys! He held up a tiny race car! Varoom," Jacob explained.

"I like to dress as a lawyer!" Mary Lou's voice preceded her on her way down the sidewalk with a devil and a tiny witch.

"But that's who you are all the time!" Nora complained. "It's _no_ fun!"

"Yes, it _is_ ," Mary Lou protested when they spotted Valerie and stopped arguing.

Charlotte walked over to join the other kids. "Hi," she waved a hand, giving the group a shy smile.

"Hi!" the other kids cried.

"Uncle Kol is giving out toys and candy," Hope enthused.

"They were supposed to choose one or the other!" Caroline shouted, coming up the driveway. "Girls! Oh, thank God, you're okay!"

"We're fine!" Hope told her with a sweet smile.

Caroline gave her a long look, rubbing her middle. "Uh-huh."

Damon and Elena joined them with the missing kids and Bonnie St. John, carrying Bugs Bunny on her hip. "Shelly, you want candy or a toy?" she asked her four-year-old.

"Candy," Shelly Bennett-St. John cried.

Kol laughed. "Oh, I think someone's going to need to get more candy."

"Sorry, honey, that someone would be you," Caroline told Klaus who rolled his eyes.

"Fine." Klaus gave Caroline a quick kiss before trudging over to his car.

Valerie took Jacob's hand. "I think it's time we head home," she told her son.

"Can't we stay for a little bit?" Jacob begged her.

Stefan gave her a pleading look and she rolled her eyes. "Fine. For a short time. Then we're going home and you're going to brush your teeth—thoroughly—and then you're going to bed."

"Okay," Jacob went back to join Hope who had begun to hand out candy and toys to other kids.

Valerie laid her head on Stefan's shoulder while their friends and family discussed plans for the week and Thanksgiving. They were hosting Thanksgiving this year but Valerie knew that if Caroline weren't in the hospital, delivering her child, she would be in Valerie's kitchen, telling her what to do.

"Time to go home," Valerie told Jake who looked tired and had eaten even more chocolate.

"Okay," Jacob sighed. "Bye, Hope!" he called.

"Bye, Jake," Hope hugged him before waving good-bye. Klaus picked her up and carried her inside the house. Caroline took Josie and Lizzie who were apparently staying the night. Tyler, Bonnie, Elena and Damon walked with them. Tyler split off with his kids first. Bonnie left next with a sleeping Shelly in her arms.

Elena and Damon came back with Valerie and Stefan. Damon had picked up Mandy who had nearly fallen down. Lily stood outside, waiting for them. "Oh, look who's sleeping so peacefully," Lily cried, smiling at Amanda.

"Best not to wake her," Damon said while Elena opened the door and he carried Amanda inside. Elena mouthed an apology while Stefan carried Jacob inside. Valerie held the door for Lily and they made their way into the great room. "How was Jake's first trick-or-treating experience?" Lily inquired.

"He enjoyed it," Valerie told her, keeping the part where he had run away from her from her mother-in-law.

Damon came down and yawned. "Ready for bed?" he asked Elena.

"I wanted to talk to your mom," Elena replied, watching Damon shift from one foot to the other before moving to sit beside her.

Valerie got up. "I'm going to see if Stefan needs help." She walked up the stairs. She found Jake dressed for bed in his race car PJs and brushing his teeth while Stefan brushed his. She smiled at them.

"You have to, too, mommy," Jake told her after spitting.

Valerie nodded. "Right. Stefan, your mother is downstairs with Damon," she warned him.

"Right. I'll see you later," he kissed her cheek before leaving them alone.

Valerie made a show of brushing her teeth and then baring her teeth at her reflection while Jake laughed. "You're so silly, mommy," he told her.

"Aren't I?" Valerie asked, gathering him into her arms and carrying him into his bedroom where she laid him down.

"I love you, mommy. And I love trick-or-treating. Can we do it again tomorrow?" Jake asked.

"Maybe," Valerie replied, tucking him in and kissing his forehead.

"Halloween in the _best_. And I'm going to dress up as Uncle Damon every year." Jake's eyelids fluttered and then shut.

"I hope not," Valerie muttered with a smile before she left the room and went downstairs. She joined Stefan on the couch opposite his brother and his wife. No one was yelling. And Damon kept eating candy.

"You're going to brush your teeth before bed, aren't you, Damon?" Lily asked him.

Damon rolled his eyes. "I'm a grown man, mother!"

"He _will_ ," Elena added.

Stefan and Valerie exchanged amused looks and then got up. "We're feeling rather sleepy," Valerie said, yawning.

"Yeah. So sleepy," Stefan, rubbed his eyes.

"Good night you two," Lily called.

"Night," Stefan called as Valerie took his hand and they went upstairs to their bedroom and shut the door behind them.

"Happy Halloween, darling," Valerie murmured as Stefan's lips brushed hers.

"Happy Halloween, Val." Stefan picked her up and gave her quite a treat.

 **Happy Halloween, everyone!**

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.**

 **Answers to guest review:**

 **Guest: Thank for reviewing and I will be updating Through His Eyes again either this Saturday or next Saturday.**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello, my lovely readers. This story is a continuation of the Halloween story/chapter 12. Happy Thanksgiving! On with the show…**

Chapter 13: Friends & Family Giving

Stefan walked into the kitchen and then thought that maybe he should go back to the living room; to hide with Damon. That's when Valerie caught his eye. "Do not even think of leaving me in here alone, Salvatore, if you value your life!" his wife's eyes glowed with a fervor.

His best friend, Caroline, sat on a stool, flipping through a book of recipes. "According to Bonnie's grams, you should have prepared the stuffing before," Caroline said, licking the tip of her index finger and flicking the page she was reading.

Valerie turned to Caroline, still clutching the knife, her lips curled back in fury. "I swear to—" she began when Stefan moved to her side, removing the knife and putting it down, far out of her reach.

Caroline looked remarkably unaware as she pulled out her cell. "Klaus, you had better be on your way! We need stuffing I prepared." Klaus' voice could be heard along with a list of expletives. "Stop using that language in front of the kids!" Caroline yelled, hanging up on her husband.

Damon chose that time to appear in the kitchen. He folded his arms over his chest. "Are we going to eat sometime today or what?"

"Damon, stop being such a sexist. Either get your ass in the kitchen and help or shut up!" Elena Gilbert cried, sliding past her husband and coming to wrap an arm around Valerie's shoulders. Sometimes Valerie loved having Elena around. A sister that would take her side in times of crisis. Unlike the sisters she had spent her adolescence with.

Speaking of the devils… "What is that smell?" Mary Louise came into the kitchen, sniffing the air.

Nora came right behind her wife. "Oh, ghastly!" she waved a hand in the air.

Stefan's attention went to the oven where something seemed to be burning. "Oh no!" he cried.

"Everyone, back up!" Damon yelled, grabbing a fire extinguisher. "Man, Valerie, we really should have had Caroline doing the cooking," he said, pulling open the oven and spraying foam onto the pie she had been baking.

Feeling Valerie's shoulder stiffen beneath his touch, Stefan kneaded her nuscle as he reached for her. He could see the pain on her face as she looked at the floor. Making dinner for everyone this year had been something she was dreading but determined to make look effortless.

"Oh, what is that?" Nora cried and Mary Lou let out a snort of laughter.

Valerie looked at her sisters feeling horrified at their torment. Why couldn't Beau have shown up to defuse the tension? He could have helped her and never once made a snide comment.

More guests came flooding into the kitchen. "Does this mean we're not going to have pie tonight?" Matt Donavon called.

Tyler Lockwood rolled his eyes. "Seriously! What's Thanksgiving without pie?"

"Shut up, Tyler, Can't you see she feels bad enough!" Liv yelled at her husband.

Jacob came racing into the kitchen with half the kids. "We're not having pie?" he asked his parents. His wide eyes lingered on them while Stefan and Valerie traded looks.

"It's fine. Uncle Klaus is taking care of it," Caroline told the children with a wide smile. "Now, everyone, let's go into a living room and find something appropriate for all ages to watch!"

"No way! We're watching the game!" Damon yelled.

Caroline ignored him, placing one hand on Jacob's shoulders and the other on Amanda Salvatore's slight shoulders. Shelly Bennett-St. John led the group out of the kitchen, holding her mother's hand.

Enzo, Bonnie's husband, popped his head in. "I here help is needed," he informed Valerie and Stefan.

Valerie sighed, glancing in the direction of the oven. "Not anymore. Dinner is a wasted effort. Thanks to me."

"Ah, come, love, we can clean it up and keep going in a bit of time." Enzo offered Valerie a smile. They didn't spend much time together. His life was devoted to being a stay-at-home while Bonnie worked hard at the local high school. "I have nothing to do most days but slave away in the kitchen, serving my little princess and top taster."

"It's good to have you here today, Enzo," Stefan said, clapping Enzo on the arm as he walked past them to inspect the inside of the oven. Enzo had always been closer to Damon, hanging with him when Ric was too busy teaching the local kids history at the high school with Bonnie. Stefan would have to think of a way to thank him for helping Valerie. Babysitting so Enzo and Bonnie could have a night to themselves, maybe?

Valerie watched Enzo examining the inside of their oven before standing up. "It's not so bad," he told them. "But we will have at least an hour. Would anyone like to pop a bottle and we'll have a nice drink?"

"Sure. I'll go down and get us a bottle." Stefan walked out of the kitchen, down the stairs and into the basement where they kept their wine under lock and key except the door was already unlocked. "Hello?" Stefan called into the darkness of the room.

"Back here!" a voice called. Stefan kept walking until he found his mother and his cousin, Sarah, sipping wine from a pair of glasses they must have collected while he wasn't paying attention. "Sorry, Stefan. We needed a break," Lily explained, setting the bottle on a crate and giving him an apologetic look. "Since Caroline turned off the game, Damon has been…"

"Damon," Stefan offered, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"Exactly," Sarah replied, nodding.

Stefan sighed. He hated it when the family fought. And he knew he'd have to track down Damon who probably left the house about to blow up at someone who didn't do anything to him. This is why Stefan loved the holidays. "Sorry," Stefan said, not in the mood to apologize for Damon's behavior or to listen to his other family members belittle Damon. Taking a bottle off a shelf without checking its label, he forced a smile. "I will see you upstairs."

Lily gave him a look which Stefan decided to ignore for now. Trudging back up the stairs, he ran into Jo Saltzman. "Happy Thanksgiving," Stefan greeted the doctor who smiled back at him.

"Is Damon around? Ric needs to relax. He's been with the girls most of the past three days and I think he's going to lose it if he can't spend some quality 'adult time' soon." Jo looked hopeful and Stefan felt the beginnings of a headache coming on.

"I have no idea where Damon is. Sorry. I've got to get this to the kitchen," Stefan walked around Jo and kept moving toward the kitchen.

"Klaus better be here soon," Caroline cried on her way out of the great room. She spotted Stefan. "Stefan!" she shouted, hurrying as quickly as you can when you're eight months, three weeks and five days into your pregnancy. "You need to go out and find Klaus. He's still not here and we need food. Like sometime before New Year's would be great!"

Stefan squashed the idea of disinviting all of his friends to Thanksgiving dinner. "I've got to take this to the kitchen. Then I have to go look for Damon. And then, I will go look for Klaus. Okay?"

Caroline's mouth opened wide and Stefan could tell she was about to go on a rant about how Damon could deal with Damon for once. Stepping around Caroline, Stefan made his way around a corner and into the kitchen. Enzo sat on the floor, cleaning out the oven while Valerie sat on the stool, her head in her hands, looking depressed. "It's not so bad, love. I've seen much worse," Enzo was saying as Stefan entered the room.

Walking over to the cabinets, Stefan removed a pair of glasses before locating the screwdriver. Valerie looked happier to find him there. "Hey," he said.

"Hi," Valerie replied. She did feel relieved to see Stefan. This whole thing was sheer madness. She was not a hostess or a cook. What had she been thinking not telling everyone to choose someone else? Let queen Caroline stand in the glow of being the perfect…everything.

Valerie accepted the glass of wine that Stefan offered her then she noted he was pulling out his car keys. Her brows rose. "Stefan, tell me you are not leaving me, here, with them?" she demanded. Enzo's head popped out of the oven. "Not you!" she told him, waving him off and looking up at Stefan warily.

"I've got to find Damon. It looks like he got into it with Mom and Sarah. And according to Caroline, Klaus is missing, too." Stefan walked around the breakfast bar and took her face between his hands. "I'll be back before anything gets cooked," he promised and kissed her lightly.

"You had better," Valerie warned him with a smile, tugging at his shirt and kissing him.

"Hey, I'm still in the room," Enzo reminded them. "No more of that."

Valerie let go of Stefan. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Stefan walked out of the kitchen leaving Valerie by herself with a household full of people she did not understand and who did not understand her either.

Mary Lou came in, her lips doing that I-sucked-on-a-lemon thing. "Oh, wine." She reached for the bottle when Valerie snatched it away. "You are not a very good hostess, Valerie. Your guests are becoming restless. Caroline is bossing everyone about. People are disappearing into rooms and not returning. The children broke the remote control to the TV. It's madness."

"Thanks, Mary Lou. You and Nora, both, always know how to make me feel best," Valerie sneered before pouring herself another glass.

"Mom!" Jacob cried, barreling into the room. "The remote is broke and Aunt Caroline wants us to make 'Arts and Crafts!'" Her son's eyes widened with a pleading look. "Please, tell her that there's something else to do! Anything!"

Mary Lou came over and placed her hands on Jacob's shoulders. "Yes, please, do," she added.

Valerie got up, forcing herself to abandon her hiding spot. Striding into the living room, she found Caroline, ordering Matt and Tyler like they were still in high school. "No, no, we need the orange string!" Caroline yelled at Tyler. Tyler gave her an evil look before walking out of the room.

"How about we all go outside and play?" Valerie asked, leaning over so she could be level with the kids.

Jacob, Charlotte and Shelly clapped their hands together. "Yay!" They began to jump up and down while Caroline frowned and crossed her arms over her protruding bump.

"They're going to get all dirty!" Caroline complained.

"They're kids, Caroline," Bonnie argued. Valerie took satisfaction in Caroline's friend taking her side for once.

Elena came into the room with Amanda. "We're going outside to play!" Jacob announced.

Amanda looked up at her mother, her eyes wide with hope. "Can we?"

"Sure," Elena shrugged.

Caroline threw up her hands in defeat. "Fine. But I think there's going to be a lot of baths taken and laundry done before dinner."

"And you can do it. I know how you love to clean," Valerie put in. She checked the grandfather clock. Stefan had plenty of time to get home. She just wished he would hurry up.

Across town, Stefan stepped into the Mystic Grille. He spotted Damon at the bar, waving for a bartender—who was missing her own Thanksgiving—for a refill. He crossed the room to confront his brother. "Funny meeting you here," Stefan quipped as he took a seat beside Damon.

"Thanksgiving sucks. And not just for the turkey," Damon muttered into his shot glass. "More please," he called, waving it again.

"Damon, you've had enough," Stefan said, trying to take the glass away.

"No, no way, Stef. You don't get it. You and Mom, you just work so well together. You don't get what it's like to be on the outside, looking in," Damon shook his head, still waving his glass.

"Damon, Jo needs you back at the house. Ric misses his buddy," Stefan watched Damon frown, his lips pursing as the idea sunk in.

"Ric, my favorite drinking buddy. Yeah. Okay. I can get through the day if I have good, old Ric. He gets me," Damon set the glass down, slid off the stool and nearly fell on the floor with a laugh.

"Let's get you out of here," Stefan said, throwing one of Damon's arms around his shoulder and half-carrying him out of the Grille.

Damon glanced around the parking lot. "Where's my car?" he complained.

"We'll come back and get it tomorrow," Stefan retorted, forcing Damon over to his own car. Damon fell into the passenger seat while Stefan strapped him in like he did with Jacob.

Damon closed his eyes and fell asleep, snoring as Stefan closed the door and rounded the car. He got behind the wheel and headed back home. The streets were fairly unpopulated and the houses glowed. Snow drifted over the streets and sidewalks. Stefan would have to remember to take Val and Jacob for a ride to see the Christmas decorations that people were putting up already.

Damon grunted in his sleep, swinging his arm out and nearly connecting with Stefan's nose. "Damon, don't be a bad drunk!" Stefan cried, shoving his brother's hand out of his face. That's when he saw the ambulance and the car wreck. "Damon, wake up!" Stefan shouted.

Shooting forward in his seat, Damon blinked awake. "What's wrong? What's going on?" he mumbled, glancing blurrily out the windshield while the wipers made their whizzing sound, flipping back and forth. "That's not good."

"No, it's not," Stefan pulled out his phone, calling home. Valerie, pick up. Pick up, Val, Stefan thought, staring at Klaus' car or what was left of Klaus' car in the three car pile-up.

Valerie left her cell inside the house, watching Jacob toss a football to Matt while Tyler chased him. "I'm going to get you, man!" Tyler shouted to Matt.

"Not today!" Matt yelled back.

Ric caught Matt off-guard, pouncing on him and letting out a hoot of delight while Jo laughed. Caroline shook her head but she looked happy. Mary Lou and Nora looked bored. Charlotte got the ball and began to race to the other side of the field when Bonnie caught her. "Sorry, kid," Bonnie cried as Charlotte waved to her mothers.

Beau came outside and Valerie grinned, holding out her arms to him. They didn't need words. They just needed to see each other. Beau smiled, too, taking her hand, leading her into the house and to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, he pointed out a perfect looking pie. "Thank you, Beau," she said, hugging the only one of her family members she felt remorse without.

Then Valerie heard the doorbell chime. Walking to the front door, she found a ton of Mikaelons at her door along with Luke Parker and his boyfriend, Todd something. Was there anyone who would not be coming to her house for Thanksgiving dinner? Had she even invited some of these people?

"Are you just going to stand there gaping at us or are you going to invite us in?" Rebekah demanded with a roll of her eyes. "Here take out coats," she took off her coat and shoved it at a baffled Beau. "Marcel, hand her the pie we brought."

"It's store bought. Sorry," Marcel, Rebekah's husband gave Valerie an apologetic look as he came in, handing her pie and their three kids came running inside.

"The kids are in the backyard!" Valerie called to Rebekah.

"Right," Rebekah sniffed before walking away, the kids running in front of her. Her husband trailing behind her.

"Valerie, how nice to see you again," Elijah Mikaelson, always the most polite of the Mikaelsons came in and kissed Valerie on the cheek. Hayley Mikaelson came in behind him. She smiled at Valerie and greeted Beau before hurrying in the direction that Rebekah had gone in. Kol Mikaelson came in with his fiancée, Davina, walking right past Valerie and in the direction his family was headed in.

"I brought wine in case you needed more!" Freya Mikaelson told Valerie, who laughed.

"We might," Valerie said as the tall blonde made her way into the house.

"Thank you, Beau," Freya said, giving him her coat.

Valerie led Beau to a closet where they dumped the coats on the floor, making sure that Freya's and Elijah's stayed on top since they were the only ones that Valerie could stand. Turning, she found Luke looking around, coat still on. "Don't worry; we're not staying long, I just wanted to stop by and say hi to my sisters."

"They're in the backyard," Valerie told him.

Not wanting to join the ridiculous amount of people in her backyard, Valerie went in search of her cell which she had left in the kitchen. She picked it up. It read: One New Message. Tapping a button, Valerie felt her stomach drop. "Val, there's been an accident. Not me, Klaus and the kids. I don't know what happened. I found Damon and we're on the way to the hospital. Keep Care calm until I find out how they are."

Valerie closed her eyes, rubbing her temples before she forced herself to walk back outside. Beau took one look at her and seemed to know that something had happened. Caroline had been cheering for the girls on the team when she caught sight of Valerie. Her eyes widened. "Valerie?"

"Caroline, stay calm—" Valerie began, holding up her hands as Caroline came toward her and she grasped Caroline by the arms. "There was an accident. Stefan and Damon are trying to find out what happened. But we're sure that they're fine."

"Did you say there was an accident?" Jo called, coming toward them, her mouth opening wide. "Our kids were in that car! Ric!" she shouted. "We have to go!"

"What's going on?" Jacob came running over to Valerie while Caroline began to cry, clutching her bump.

"Where's Klaus?" Hayley snapped, coming toward them. "He's got Hope with him."

"Hayley, I'm sure he's just a little late." Elijah tried to sooth her.

Hayley looked pale. Jo looked furious. Ric looked sick. Caroline had begun to breathe slowly, placing her hands on her knees, bent over when she lifted her head, "Oh!" she moaned.

"What's that, mommy?" Jacob pointed at the fluid running down Caroline's leggings.

"Her water broke!" Jo exclaimed. "Now, we really need to go!"

"Mommy?" Jacob stared up at Valerie who felt sick as Elijah grabbed Caroline and Hayley followed them to leave the backyard.

"Everything is going to be fine, Jake," Valerie swore.

Stefan stood in the emergency room lobby when Caroline came in, screaming. "Oh, my God! The baby's coming now!" she screamed. Elijah Mikaelson was carrying her in his arms. Hayley walked with them. Ric and Jo came in behind them with Rebekah stomping over to the front desk and demanding to know where her brother was.

"Mommy!" Hope Mikaelson came running into the lobby at the sound of her mother's voice. "It was scary but Daddy was so brave!" she explained to her mother.

Lizzie and Jossie came running out to find their parents and Klaus came out from behind a curtain looking tired but okay. "Someone ran into the back of my car," he told them, touching the bandage on his head.

"Take it easy there," Stefan called to Klaus, coming over and keeping him upright.

"Ow!" Caroline screamed, holding her middle. "Somebody get me an epidural."

"You're past that point," Jo retorted.

Caroline screamed in fury. Klaus seemed to notice his wife. "Caroline?"

"The baby's coming?" Caroline cried when a nurse helped her into a wheelchair.

"I'm going to be a father again," Klaus told the group.

"And the world rejoices," Damon rolled his eyes. Stefan couldn't help but smile.

Looking at the clock again, Valerie paced the floor of her home while Jacob stared at the entryway to the great room. People had been in and out, giving everyone updates from their frequent phone calls to the hospital. It looked like everyone was fine except for Caroline who was threatening to sue the hospital if they didn't give her something for the pain. Valerie felt a stab of sympathy. Jacob had come too quickly, too, and she had had to deliver without drugs.

"It's a boy!" Kol crowed. "William Mikaelson! Just a couple of minutes ago! And Caroline has finally passed out after popping him out."

"To Will!" Enzo said, opening a new bottle of wine and the remaining adults toasted.

"To dinner being done already!" Nora snapped, glaring at Enzo. "Will you please check on that bird already?"

"Nora always gets this way when she doesn't eat," Mary Lou explained over her wine glass while Nora glared at her.

Valerie sighed, wrapping her arms around herself, and walked out of the room with Jacob. She stopped when the front door opened and Stefan came in with Damon and the Mikaelons who had gone to the hospital except for Klaus, Caroline and baby Will. "Stefan!" Valerie cried, throwing herself at her husband.

"It's been a long day!" Stefan said.

"Jacob!"

"Hope!"

Valerie and Stefan turned to find the two kids hugging each other tightly. "I have a baby brother," Hope told Jacob.

"Cool. Can I have one, too?" Jacob asked his parents.

"We shall see," Valerie replied.

"Dinner is ready and shall be served momentarily with some help!" Enzo called, oven gloves on both hands.

It felt good to be home, surrounded by his friends and family, Stefan was thinking as he sat down beside Valerie who seemed to be glowing or maybe that was the candle light. "I'm thankful for my wife, my son and all of you!" Stefan told them, holding up his glass.

"And we're grateful that someone actually knows how to cook," Nora exclaimed, eyeing the turkey.

Everyone else ignored her, beginning to eat their dinner while Stefan continued to watch Valerie. She ate everything on her plate and then placed more food on her plate. "You're awfully hungry," he said, smiling at her.

"Yes, I am. I'm eating for three," Valerie told him and his eyebrows shot up.

"I thought that maybe you were but I wasn't sure. How do you know its twins?" Stefan asked her.

"Just a suspicion," Valerie replied, leaning over and kissing him before returning to her food.

"I'm thankful for my mom and dad," Jacob said, grinning at them from across the table. "And for my girlfriend, Hope, and her baby brother."

"Girlfriend?" Valerie choked out. "Jake, you're a bit young for that."

"Did I tell you about the time that Stefan—" Damon began, waving his fork.

"Damon!" Stefan yelled, glaring at his brother.

"Pass the pie!" Valerie called.

"And then there was the time that—" Damon began again when Elena shoved a bread roll in his open mouth.

"I wonder who's going to host Christmas dinner?" Valerie asked.

"Me," Elena piped up. "Here!"

"No way!" Damon said when she shoved another bread roll in his mouth.

Stefan and Valerie looked at each other and cracked up. If they could survive Thanksgiving, they could survive Christmas, they hoped.

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and reading.**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello, my lovely readers. Happy belated holidays! This should have been posted weeks ago but I got sick which is the inspiration for this one-shot. On with the show…**

Chapter 14: Christmas Cold

Stefan woke up on Christmas morning just as a sneeze racked his body. "Shit," he moaned.

" _Language_ ," Valerie admonished. She walked over and placed a hand to his forehead. "You're _still_ sick, Mr. Salvatore. Back in bed with you." His wife tucked the covers up to his chin.

"Babe, no. I'm _fine_ ," Stefan tried to sit up but Valerie pushed him back down.

"No, Stefan, you are _not_ fine. You've been sick for two days and do not seem to be getting better. I told you not to go out looking for a Christmas tree last week." Valerie shook her head, stroking his hair away from his face.

"It wasn't _that_ bad out," Stefan muttered, feeling like he was five again.

Valerie rolled her eyes. "It was below thirty and raining. It's a wonder that Damon isn't sick as well. I suppose poor luck comes to good people and good to those who deserve coal in their stockings."

"Val," Stefan moaned, placing a hand to his forehead. Turning away from his wife, he let out a powerful cough.

"I'm going to go out and get you some cold medicine," Valerie told him.

Stefan rolled over and looked at her, his brows furrowing. "Nothing's open."

" _True_. But Caroline will have stocked up on cold, flu and everything in between." Smiling, Valerie got up, patted his hand and turned to leave.

"You'd go to Care's house on Christmas for me?" Stefan teased.

Valerie glanced back at him. "There is _nothing_ I wouldn't do to help you." Her words were so serious that it took every part of his will to stop him from getting up and kissing her.

"I love you, Valerie Salvatore," Stefan told her.

"I love you, too. Behave yourself and get some sleep while I'm gone," Valerie called before closing the door to his room.

Stefan buried himself in his pillows and waited for sleep to take him. "Daddy!" Jacob cried from outside the door. Propping himself up on his elbow, Stefan intended on telling his son to not come in when the door opened.

"Hey, little brother!" Damon called, entering the room.

"Damon, go away! I'm sick!" Stefan cried. He peered at the doorway where Jacob stood, holding a gift in his arms.

"Whatever! You're going to miss everything. Come on," Damon held out a surgical mask. "Put this on. And these." He pulled out a pair of gloves. "See, _now_ you can join the festivities." His eyes were lit up with Christmas cheer, and—no doubt—spiked eggnog.

"Damon, I'm _not_ really up for—" Damon, being Damon, ignored Stefan's protests, in favor of hauling him out of bed.

"Come on, Stef. Who knows when Val will come back and send your butt back to bed. You want to spend some time with the little guy, right?" Damon tilted his head at Jacob and Stefan saw the hopeful look on his son's face.

"Yes." Stefan nodded, allowing his brother to half-carry him across the floor. "Hey, buddy, what did Santa get you?" he asked.

"A bear!" Jacob said, taking Stefan's hand and leading them back downstairs.

Stefan's eyes widened at the sight of the stuffed bear—six-foot, former woodland creature—in the middle of the great room. "Damon, that's _not_ appropriate for a five-year-old."

"That's what Valerie said." Damon grinned widely. "And it's _fake_ ," he added behind his hand.

Jacob walked up to the bear. "Make it growl Uncle Damon!" he cried.

Damon walked behind the bear. "Grrrr!" he growled and Jacob laughed.

"Ahhhhh!" Amanda screamed, walking in and seeing the bear. "Daddy!"

"Its _fine_ , honey. It's _not_ alive." Damon hurried to comfort his daughter who stared at him and then the bear.

"Did you _kill_ a bear?" Amanda asked, her eyes shining with tears. "That's _so_ cruel!"

"It's not real," Stefan told her.

" _What_?" Jacob yelled. "You said it _was_!" he yelled at Damon, folding his arms over his chest.

"Uncle Damon _fibs_ ," Elena said, entering the room with a plate of cookies. "Here, have a cookie."

Jacob looked at Stefan who nodded. His son took a cookie, took a polite bite, his nose wrinkled up and his face twisted before he forced a smile. "It's good, Aunt Elena."

"Now _who's_ fibbing?" Damon asked. "Come on, kid, spit it out, you _know_ you want to."

Jacob spat a lump of cookie out while Elena put the cookie plate down with a look of disappointment. "They're probably not that bad," Stefan said. He picked one up and took a bite. Elena looked at him, her eyes wide and a smile moving to the surface when Stefan choked the cookie back up and into his hand. "Sorry," he muttered.

"This is going to be a _disaster_ ," Elena moaned, burying her face in her hands.

"Elena, baby, you have _many_ special talents—cooking just happens to not be one of them," Damon told his wife, patting her on the back.

Elena shook her head. "It's bad enough that all our friends can't come because Stefan's sick but now I'm going to ruin the day with my horrible cooking."

The doorbell rang and Damon went to answer it. "And it's the answer to all our prayers. Mommy's here." He folded his arms over his chest while Lily walked around him and into the middle of the room.

"I brought wine." Their mother looked cheerful in her red dress, a wide smile on her face. "And I see someone's been making cookies. May I?" she looked around.

"Knock yourself out," Damon said with a wide smile.

Lily smiled, taking a cookie and everyone held their collective breath. Taking a bite, Lily's eyes widened for a moment, her fingers went to her lips as her eyes closed and then a smile appeared. "That is…delicious," she pronounced.

Damon let out a snicker while Amanda stared at her grandmother in shock. Jacob looked to Stefan who let out a cough. Elena sighed. "Thank you for being nice, but they're bad. They're really, _really_ bad." Picking up the plate, she trudged back out of the room.

It looked like Christmas was not getting off to a great start in the Salvatore home.

Valerie took the bag that Caroline held out to her. "Thank you for _this_ ," she said.

"Not a problem. Tell Stefan I hope he feels better soon," Caroline said as Hope came over.

"Can I go to Jake's?" Hope cried, her eyes wide.

"Honey, Jake's daddy is _sick_. Maybe next week," Caroline said, kneeling down and holding Hope's hands.

Klaus came to the door. "I'm sure that Stefan won't be wandering about spreading his germs. I'll go get your coat." He gathered Hope's coat, mittens and scarf while Valerie waited. She wanted to get back soon in case Damon dragged Stefan out of his sick bed and had him out in the snow or breathing on everything in the kitchen. "Be back by two. We're going caroling," Klaus called after his daughter with fake enthusiasm.

Valerie took Hope's hand in hers and they headed back to her car. She placed the child in the back before getting in front. "The houses are lovely this time of year," she told the child.

"I love the snow people," Hope said. "Especially the witches." She pointed out a snow witch as they passed by Mary Louise's and Nora's.

"What would you like to do when we get to my house? Make hot chocolate? Make cookies? Or help Jacob open his presents?" Valerie asked, absently fiddling with the radio.

"Jake's probably opened all his presents without me. And I want to show him my new tattoo," Hope told her.

For a moment, Valerie nodded, then she stared at Hope in the rearview mirror. "I'm sorry, did you say: _tattoo_?"

"Yes. Uncle Kol helped me with it last night," Hope replied.

Valerie shook her head. She would have to remember to never let Kol Mikaelson babysit for her, ever again. "That sounds _lovely_. _Where_ is this tattoo?"

Hope pulled up the sleeve of her shirt and showed Valerie the inside of her wrist that was marked with a fake tattoo of a heart. "I'm going to give one to Jake for Christmas."

"How thoughtful," Valerie sighed. She'd bought her son new socks. They were adorned with Scooby Doo so she knew he'd like them even if kids believed that clothes were a lame Christmas gift.

Pulling into the driveway, Valerie got out of the car and helped Hope out. They walked up to the front door and Valerie could hear Damon's drunk singing from outside the house. Opening the front door, she found Damon dancing around with a candy cane hanging out of the side of his mouth. "Valerie, you're home!" he called loudly.

This only made her suspicious. "Yes, I am _."_ She started to walk around Damon when he blocked her movements. "Are those for Stef?" he asked, eyeing the bag. "Let me take it to him." His wide smile furthered her suspicions that he was up to no good.

" _Stefan_?" Valerie yelled. He didn't answer.

Damon reached for the bag. "You should _go_. _Sit_. _Have_ _a_ _cookie_. They're Elena's _second_ try and she _really_ wants good reviews." He waved at the great room while prying the bag of medicine from Valerie.

"Stefan had _better_ be in bed," Valerie warned Damon before leading Hope into the great room to try Elena's cookies which would probably taste like saw dust.

Standing in the kitchen, Stefan peered into a mixing bowl that Elena had just finished with. It looked kind of lumpy and kind of…something that made Stefan feel queasy. "Try adding _more_ milk," he suggested.

"Wife's home," Damon called around his candy cane, looking annoyed.

"Valerie?" Lily inquired while stirring a bowl of cookie dough. She'd offered to help Elena make some extra cookies.

Damon smirked. " _No_ , Stefan's _other_ wife." His sarcasm made Lily turn back to her cookies. Damon shook his head at Stefan.

"Damon, _be_ _nice_ to your mother, it's _Christmas_ ," Elena snapped, pulling a spoon up and looking at the hardened contents on the bottom of it. "It's _not_ supposed to look like that, is it?"

" _No_." Damon shook his head. "Mom, how's yours coming along?" He looked into her bowl. "Yeah. I think we found a _winner_."

Elena sat her bowl down, giving up when Valerie entered the kitchen. "Where's Jacob?" Her eyes stopped on Stefan. "Damon!" she growled.

"It's _Christmas_ ," Damon said, grabbing a candy cane off the counter and holding it out to her. "Suck on that."

"I want _one_!" Hope cried.

Stefan moved to give her one when Valerie moved so quickly he barely had time to react, shoving the candy canes out of his reach. Elena picked one up and gave it to Hope. "Sorry," Stefan groaned.

"Back to bed with you," Valerie ordered Stefan.

"Come on, Val. _It's_ _Christmas_!" Damon complained.

Valerie pinned her brother-in-law with a look. "He _is_ _sick_ , Damon. I don't know what is _wrong_ with you, but sick people _need_ to rest."

"Nothing is _wrong_ with me. And he's a grown man. He can stay up for a couple of hours." Damon placed his hands on his hips and glared at Valerie.

Lily stepped in between the two. "Damon, Stefan needs to sleep. He can celebrate _tomorrow_."

"Whatever," Damon muttered under his breath. "Hey, kids, who wants to go outside and make a snow witch that looks like _Grandma_." He asked Jacob and Amanda who'd come into the kitchen, unnoticed by the bickering adults.

"Yay!" the kids cheered and ran off with their uncle.

Stefan and Lily went upstairs and Valerie followed them. Valerie poured out some Nyquil—the drowsy formula—and Lily tucked him in, like he was still a little kid. "Good night, my sweet boy." Lily said, stroking his hair back.

"Good night," Valerie called as she and his mother left him to get some sleep.

The day after Christmas, Valerie got up early and went downstairs. Lily had prepared breakfast for them. The house was quiet and calm for once. Damon came down, took the cup of coffee his mother offered him, smiled and took a seat. "Good morning," Stefan's voice came from behind them.

Valerie watched her husband yawn and smile, coming to join them. "Feeling better?" she asked him.

" _Much_. Thank you," he said, kissing her on the lips.

"Ew!" Jacob cried, followed by Amanda, looking groggy from staying up past their bedtime.

Elena came in last, running a hand over a messy bun at the back of her head. "Merry Christmas," she said brightly.

"Merry Christmas," Stefan added, hugging Jacob.

They ate and went into the living room where they watched _Home_ _Alone_ , _A_ _Charlie_ _Brown_ _Christmas_ and _The_ _Grinch_ _Who_ _Stole_ _Christmas_. Going outside, they had a snow ball fight and came back inside. Lily attempted to show Elena how to make Christmas cookies which ended in Damon taking over. "Frost these, please," he called to Elena who looked relieved that she could contribute while Valerie shared Christmas kisses with Stefan while Jacob held his hands over his eyes. "Ew!" he groaned again.

"It looks like we _survived_ Christmas," Stefan told his family. Jacob and Amana had gone upstairs, leaving the adults to celebrate downstairs.

"Yes, we _did_ ," Lily added, looking at Damon who shrugged.

"It was okay," he grunted.

Elena elbowed him. "Be nice."

"Fine. _Fine_. I had a _good_ time. Happy now?" Damon grumbled. "I need more brandy in my nog."

"You've got a pickled brain already, Damon," Valerie called after him.

"Get bent," Damon called back.

Valerie smirked, looking at Stefan. "Sounds like an interesting way to end Christmas."

Lily chocked on her wine. "Perhaps I should go to bed."

Damon came back into the room as his mother was leaving it. "Going to bed, _so_ _soon_ , mom?" he inquired.

"Damon," Elena cried.

"I was just going to say thanks for helping my wife with her cookies," Damon said, widening his eyes at Elena and then looking at Lily.

"You're welcome, Damon," Lily said, kissing him on the cheek and leaving them alone.

"Hey, on the bright side, it looks like we're all going to be happy and healthy for New Year's. Minor crisis avoided," Damon pronounced.

Everyone nodded. "Let's go to bed," Stefan suggested, reaching out for Valerie's hand when her nose wrinkled up and she sneezed.

"Oh, _no_ ," Valerie moaned.

"Damn it, Stefan, you ruined New Year's!" Damon cried.

"Did not!" Stefan argued.

"Did too!" Damon argued while Elena helped Valerie out of the room.

Damon shook his head. "Unbelievable," he grunted, turning to the fireplace and glaring at it.

"Merry Christmas," Stefan called, moving to leave the room.

"Merry Christmas, Stef," Damon replied and then sneezed. "Damn it, Stef!"

"See, and you thought I didn't give you anything for Christmas," Stefan shouted, running up the stairs while Damon chased him. Actually Stefan forgot Damon's present under his bed but since he might have to hide from Damon until February, he didn't feel guilty.

Valerie looked miserable as she laid in bed. "This is _the_ worst Christmas ever."

"We've got each other and about five bottles of cough medicine," Stefan told her.

"Merry Christmas," Valerie told him.

Stefan smiled before getting her some tissues while Damon banged on his door. "I'm going to _kill_ you. You know that New Year's is my _favorite_ holiday," Damon shouted.

"Good night, Damon," Stefan called. "Get some sleep, Val, it'll be a new year soon and we'll celebrate, even if we have to wait until January 14."

"Night, night, mummy," Valerie groaned, passing out.

Stefan thought that if nothing else, they'd remember this Christmas for years to come. "Stefan, can I have some of that cough syrup?" Damon moaned. "Stef? Stef, come on, man? _Please_?" Stefan slept peacefully on the other side of the door, dreaming of flutes of champagne and Times Square on TV.

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello, my lovely readers. This is the last one-shot devoted to this AU/AH story, for now. On with the show…**

Chapter 15: Happy New…ah… ah…choo-ear!

The Salvatore home was quiet. Too quiet for New Year's Eve. Almost every year Damon would be running around the house with a bottle of champagne in one hand, a noise maker in the other, driving Stefan and Valerie insane. That's how Valerie remembered it. But this year would be a little different.

"Not again," Damon moaned, sneezing.

Valerie walked into the great room with a box of Kleenex. "Here," she held it out to him.

"Thanks," Damon groaned. He pulled out a tissue and blew his nose. "I thought I was getting better and then…and then…and…ah-choo!" Damon sneezed again, his entire body racked with the power of the sneeze.

"Oh, Damon," Elena moaned, coming into the room, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. "You're not feeling better yet?" she asked, her eyes and nose red-rimmed. The blue surgical mask hid her expression but she looked groggy.

Valerie did not feel much better than they did. Usually her immune system kicked colds and viruses asses as Damon would put it. But this year she seemed be suffering just a little bit more than usual. Sniffling, she grabbed a wad of tissues from Damon's box and blew her nose. "I'm going to go make some tea," she told them.

Walking back into the kitchen, Valerie found Stefan, who had already recovered and was annoyingly cheerful. "Hey, honey," he greeted her. "I'm making tea and some lemonade, too, for the kids."

Her eyes drifted to the ceiling and Valerie thought of Jacob who had come down with their cold two days ago. Amanda had begun coughing the day after.

A bell rang and Valerie rolled her eyes. "I'll take care of that," she said, walking back out of the room and heading upstairs.

Caroline lay on the guest bed with Klaus. Her husband was fast asleep while Caroline sat, an iPad on her lap, a surgical mask covering her face and a bottle of Nyquil—the non-drowsy formula—beside her. "I found a way to save New Year's," Caroline told Valerie. "We just need to get everyone into the same place."

"Caroline, we can celebrate tomorrow," Klaus moaned. Looks as if he wasn't asleep, just playing dead in case his wife began to pester him.

"No, we can't. We have to do it today," Caroline replied, nudging him with an elbow.

"Caroline, darling, I'm going to go sleep in the basement," Klaus groaned, moving to get out of bed.

Valerie stopped him. "The basement in the only place that has not been contaminated with cold germs."

"Bloody hell," Klaus sighed, falling back onto the bed.

Caroline sighed when Stefan walked into the room with a tray of steaming cups of tea. "See, that's more like it. We just hydrate and rest up. And we have ten hours to do it in."

"Caroline, midnight is twelve hours from now," Klaus mumbled, rolling over and placing his head under her arm.

Stefan looked at Valerie who shook her head. "What do you want me to do?" he asked his friend.

"Decorate. I can be down in about five hours to help you. I just need about three hours sleep. Then I'll be good to go," Caroline told them.

Eying the other woman, Valerie shook her head. She did not understand Caroline at all. You'd think she'd take this opportunity to relax and stop trying to take over other people's lives. But, no, not their Caroline. She would put herself in her grave to plan the perfect party.

"Okay. We'll see you then," Stefan backed out of the room with Valerie. If they were very lucky, Caroline would fall asleep and stay that way.

"You're not really going to decorate, are you?" Valerie asked her husband who shrugged.

"I should. It's kind of my fault that she's sick. Hope came over. I gave her my cold and now Caroline has to leave her baby with Kol. And she needs a distraction. This is called being a good friend, Val," Stefan told her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"No, this is called taking advantage. If Caroline wants a bloody party, then let her get better and create her own. I don't want you to exhaust yourself and end up sick, again," Valerie reasoned.

"Can I get some more tissues?" Damon shouted from the great room.

"Mommy!" Jacob shouted from upstairs. "Mommy!" Valerie hurried back upstairs while Stefan went off to help his brother. Jacob sat on his bed with Amanda and Hope. Each of the other children sat with their little surgical masks in a row like tiny surgeons, waiting to book an OR. A smile tugged at the corners of Valerie's lips. "Can we have some more lemonade?" Jacob moaned, sounding dreadful.

"And can you bring some of grandma's cookies?" Amanda asked.

"And more Harry Potter DVDs?" Hope called, snuggling under the blanket Jacob had given her, dotted with Disney characters.

"Yes, loves," Valerie told them.

Walking downstairs, Valerie found Lily standing in the kitchen. "Do you have more cookies, Lily?" she asked her mother-in-law.

Lily turned around, looking half-asleep. "No, but I can make some."

"No, no, you should get back to bed," Valerie told the older woman who nodded.

"I'm not sure what I was looking for," Lily told her.

"Mom, I thought you were still in bed." Stefan entered the kitchen, looking concerned. "I was about to get you a hot water bottle."

"The kids want cookies. Can you drop by the store and get some?" Valerie asked him.

"But what about decorating the house? If Caroline gets up and sees I didn't bother—" Stefan began when Valerie cut him off.

"I don't give a damn what Caroline Forbes wants. Go get your niece some cookies and more tissues and more tea and more lemons," Valerie listed off.

"I'll be back soon," Stefan said, hurrying out of the kitchen.

Sighing, Valerie turned around to find that Lily was gone. "Damn," she muttered. "Lily? Lily, where are you?" Walking into the hall, she looked around the house for her mother-in-law. She didn't bother to check the great room, heading back upstairs.

"Mom, where's the lemonade?" Jacob asked her.

"And the cookies?" Amanda asked.

"And the DVDs?" Hope added.

"Drat. Right. I will be back. You didn't happen to see your grandmother, did you?" Valerie asked them.

"No," they said in unison.

Valerie groaned, heading back down the hall. The bell rang and Valerie rolled her eyes before heading into Caroline's room. "Yes, your highness?" she seethed.

"Is Stefan working on the decorations?" Caroline asked, setting her iPad aside.

"No, he's gone out to pick up things for the children," Valerie snapped, turning to leave.

Caroline huffed. "Fine. I'll just go and get things started."

"I will do it!" Valerie yelled and then sneezed, and she leaned against the doorframe.

"Maybe you should go to bed," Caroline said. "You're pregnant and sick and have all of these people to take care of. And then I can go decorate in peace."

"Damon's in the great room," Valerie pointed out.

Caroline sighed. "After I get Damon out of the great room, then I'll decorate."

"Where are you going?" Klaus whined, grabbing Caroline and jerking her back into bed. "I need my pillow," he uttered, burying his head in her stomach.

"Klaus, I need to go and take care of stuff. And I need my Nyquil," Caroline complained.

Valerie jumped in. "I will take care of the Nyquil; you just stay right there." Sneaking out of the room, Valerie went back to looking for Lily.

"Lily?" Valerie called.

"Shush," Lily's voice came from inside the great room. She sat on the couch with Damon's head in her lap. He looked like a little boy, his haired rumpled from Lily's stroking his head while he slept. "This is the first time I've had my son treat me like a mother is years. I want to make it last a little longer," she said, looking down at Damon with fondness.

Valerie noted Elena slept curled up in a chair across from her husband and nodded. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine. You should get some rest soon, too," Lily said, closing her eyes and leaning back against the couch.

Heading into the kitchen, Valerie looked for lemons and found none. Thankfully Stefan was at the store getting some. She left the room, walked back into the great room, collected some Harry Potter DVDs and walked back upstairs.

"The DVD player isn't working," Jacob told her. "Where's daddy? He can fix it."

"Daddy's at the grocery getting lemons and cookies," Valerie told them.

"Read to us, Aunt Valerie," Amanda cried, getting up and pulling out a Harry Potter book.

Nodding, Valerie climbed on the bed, pulling Jacob onto her lap and wrapping her arms around the girls who held either side of the book open. She began to read and after a while the kids drifted off to sleep. Minutes later, Valerie fell asleep, too.

The sound of Auld Lang Syne woke Valerie from a sound sleep. Sitting up, she placed Jacob next to Hope and scooted off the bed. Pulling her robe more tightly around her, she found Caroline and Stefan downstairs, placing a banner above the entrance to the great room. "Happy New Year!" it proclaimed.

Stefan stood in a suit. He turned to smile at Valerie. "Hey, baby, sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you," Valerie said, looking around the room. Balloons filled up corners in happy gold and silver bundles. The TV was playing Dick Clark's New Year's Eve from Times' Square. A radio poured out old songs. A silver tray held champagne flutes filled with something that did not look entirely like champagne. White and silver streamers hung from the ceiling. Colorful hats, noisemakers and silly glasses sat on the table for people to adorn themselves with.

"Happy New Year's," Damon called, entering the room in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He looked like he felt better. Walking over to the table, he grabbed a noisemaker and blew it.

"Agh," Elena cried, coming in with Lily. "Not tonight," she groaned.

Klaus came in to. "I see that someone has been busy in my absence," he smirked at his wife before pulling her down from the ladder she'd been standing on to hang the banner.

"Nyquil is a miracle," Caroline told them and then yawned. "I'm so tired."

"And one down," Damon announced, watching Caroline droop in Klaus' embrace.

The kids came downstairs. "Happy New Year!" Jacob cried, bouncing around. "Are there cookies?" he asked.

"In the kitchen," Stefan said.

Jacob and the kids ran off with Lily to get the cookies. Stefan pulled Valerie into his arms. "Happy New Year, baby," he murmured, placing a pair of silly glasses on her and kissing her.

"Happy New Year, Stefan," Valerie whispered back.

Damon dipped Elena and kissed her.

Klaus kissed Caroline although she was passed out.

Jacob came in and looked around. Turning, he kissed Hope on the cheek who giggled.

"For auld lang syne!" Damon began to sing and the rest of the family joined in.

Valerie grinned at her family. If anyone had told her when she was a child that she'd have family that she loved, friends who annoyed her but she couldn't imagine her life without and a lovely home she'd have thanked them but not believed them. This and every year is all that Valerie wanted her life to be, to belong, to be cared for, to be cherished.

"Happy New Year and many more!" they cheered.

 **Next time we'll have Valentine's themed Stelerie one-shot set during a canon-y leap into the future.**

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello, my lovely readers. This one-shot is for Brittana4ever who requested a Valerie S8 appearance. This would be a version of how Stefan's S8 narrative could end. On with the show…**

Chapter 16: My Fragile Human Heart

May 8, 2016:

 _Dear Journal,_

 _My heart now beats human blood all my own. My lungs breathe in the air around me and I can feel a tinge. It's not as clean as it was the last time I lived and walked the earth a mortal man. Nothing is the same. It can never be again._

 _Stefan Salvatore_

August 26, 2020:

"Do you still write in that thing?" her voice made my heart skip a beat. She told me she was going to see the world and to live her life. Now, here she is, in my life again. Can I stop myself from hurting her? "You've got a beard," Valerie quipped. "It makes you look older, Stefan." Her lips curl into a familiar smile, at once taunting and teasing at the same time. I yearn for her again. "Are you quite alright? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

I chuckle. "Maybe I have."

"Hmm…" Valerie shrugs. She seems relaxed. Happy even. My eyes flick to her left hand. No ring. I somehow thought she would have moved on and found a new love. Maybe she did. Maybe it didn't work out, like me and Caroline. Caroline, I can't think about her. It stings.

Valerie tips her head, waves to the bartender. "A bourbon, please," she says, winking at me.

I find myself smiling back. It's easy. Natural. Like we were meant to meet up at this exact time, in this exact place, on this day. Fate. I'm not sure I believe in fate anymore.

"How is Caroline?" Valerie asks before knocking back her drink and pushing the glass forward. "Another," she calls, her voice commanding, no doubt in it. The bartender could be at her mercy if she pleased, his blood streaming down the side of his neck, into her mouth as she held him, overpowering him, draining his life to keep her standing.

"I'm sorry, what?" I don't want to answer the question.

Valerie eyes me, turning to stare into my eyes. She could compel the truth out of me now. I'd be helpless to stop her as I once was to stop Rebekah Mikaelson or her brother from forcing truths out of me that I would happily keep to myself. But I wonder if she suspects what I am today.

"Never mind. Let's not spoil a pleasant evening." Valerie turns her back to the bar and looks out at the beach. "I love it here," she tells me.

"I do, too," I tell her earnestly. "I missed this place."

"You did?" Valerie tucks her hair behind her ear, a smile ghosting over her lips. I can almost see the flash of memory that sweeps over her of our time here, in the Philippines. We were happy for awhile, trying to escape from Raina Cruz, finding our way back to each other; making up for stolen time. Can I ever make up for breaking her heart? Will she let me?

"Where did you go?" I ask her, leaning closer to her, wanting to be closer to her, to inhale her scent with my inferior human senses.

"After I left Mystic Falls, you mean?" Valerie questioned me, eyebrows rising.

I nod.

"Let's see. I went for a short trip to England. Through Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Spent some time in Paris. I met a lovely young artist. He would have done anything for me but he fell off a balcony thanks to a new enemy. Idiot. The enemy. Poor James, he'd have really made something of himself. Off to Spain where I spent my better days drunk and on the beach. After a while that bored me so I went on a trip through the East and found myself at a Buddhist temple where I made peace with my life as it is. It was nice having people around who did not judge me to be a monster."

I nodded, again. "Maybe I should go visit that temple. I could use some peace."

"Oh, Stefan, still brooding?" Her foot brushed mine and my heart began to pound. "What is it about you I can't put my finger on? Something is different." Her eyes pierced me and this is the point where I would usually find an excuse and leave. Too much had happened. Too many people were gone. I needed her.

"I'm human," I confessed.

Valerie let out a shocked laugh. "That's amusing. Human?" After a moment her laughter died. "You're human? How is that possible?"

"Bonnie. I killed her boyfriend. You remember Enzo?" I felt a pang of guilt and averted my eyes from hers.

"Enzo? Oh, yes, he thought he was funny. He wasn't such a bad man. What did he do? Make a move on Caroline?" Caroline, again. Another pang of guilt.

"No, I was trying to kill Elena and would have killed Bonnie in the process and Enzo got in the way. I had flipped my switch. I would do anything to take it back, but I can't." My shoulders slumped and I stared into my empty glass.

Valerie pushed my glass forward and the bartender refilled it. "And Caroline?"

"She's gone. Not dead. Just gone. I couldn't do it anymore. I wasn't the man who proposed to her and she deserved better. I hope she got it." I picked up my glass and took a sip.

"Have you heard from her?" Valerie asked.

"No. About a year ago, Alaric said he'd settled with the kids in New Orleans and that Caroline was coming to be with them. She had an open invitation to stay with a guy down there that she probably took him up on." I shrugged, twirling my glass, trying not to think of how my failure was Klaus' gain. My friend. My enemy. He loved Caroline and would look after her where I failed.

Valerie took my hand. "Let's forget all of our awful mistakes, shall we and raise a glass to new chances and old memories."

I lifted my glass, clinking it with hers. "To new chances," I said. Valerie smirked at me and I reached out, tucking her hair behind her ear. Her lips were on mine before I could think.

Somehow we found ourselves back at her hotel room and I fell asleep, holding her to me, never wanting to let go again.

Feburary 14, 2025:

"If it's a girl, I say you call her: Stefanie," Damon quipped.

Elena walked in and threw a stuffed dog at his head. "Leave them alone, Damon, and help your mini-me clean his room." She glared at Damon until he got up to do her bidding. "I'm going to kill him," she told us.

"I'll help," I told her, grinning as Valerie came down in a red dress that took my breath away.

"Ready?" Valerie asked me, her smile echoing mine.

"You bet," I told her, offering my arm. We were going out to dinner.

"Damon wants us to name the baby Stefanie and I gave him a migrane. Nothing that will kill his poor, little human brain but just enough to make it hurt." Valerie explained on her way to the car.

I placed my hands over her growing middle. "Your mother has quite the temper. Try to behave for her? Uncle Damon says one kid is too many for us to handle." Looking up at Valerie, I grinned at her. "The best thing I ever did in my life was falling back in love with you."

"Yes, that is the best thing you ever did." She lifted my head, pressing her lips to mine and then pulled away. "I'm feeling a need for ice cream. Do you think they'll complain if I bring a pint of Ben and Jerry's with me?"

"I think you can compel them to shut up," I replied.

"That I can and shall," she let out a laugh.

My life had changed remarkably since I became human again and I could not wish for a fuller, happier existence in which I would find redemption in loving and being loved.

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.**

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello, my lovely readers. This one-shot is a sneak peek and a tie-in to my story, Mystic Falls: Homecoming, which I have not yet started posting but will be early next year. On with the show...**

Chapter 17: A Christmas Wish

How many years had it been? Valerie had begun to lose track of the day that Damon Salvatore made the call. She'd picked up—believing that it was Stefan. A part of her did not want to pick up. She knew he'd married Caroline. She wished him happiness but that did relieve the pain. When Damon's voice had rung in her ear, Valerie felt the air leave her body.

 _ **Tell Me**_

" _What?" Valerie's voice did not sound like her own. It sounded meek. Valerie was not meek. The cloud in the sky turned from a lovely fluffy blue to a watery wave. "No. Tell me you're lying, Damon."_

" _I'm sorry, Valerie," Damon said. She could hear the strain in his voice. She could almost see him, one hand wrapped around a bottle of bourbon, his hand hanging between his knees, his head falling forward, black hair hanging in his eyes. "I'm sorry."_

 _Valerie felt her body moving toward the ground. A human said something. Then another. She thought they might be trying to help her, but she could not reply to their words which were not reaching her ears. They, too, seemed to be choked with her tears. The concerned looks from these strangers only made her angry. "Leave me alone," Valerie snarled at them, batting them away with her free arm._

 _The humans backed off. Maybe she'd offered them a glimpse of the creature underneath her façade. Really, she could care. The love of her life no longer walked the earth and she felt like she, too, were dying._

" _I just wanted to let you know," Damon sounded far away. His voice coming through a tunnel, beside a train, its horn blaring in her ears. The sound of the dial tone made Valerie cry out in shock. "No. No. Don't go yet," she whispered to Damon._

 _Valerie's hand scrambled over the screen until she found Damon's number and rang him back. "Yeah?" Damon said._

" _Don't… Don't go just yet. Tell me… Was he happy…before…" Shaking her head, Valerie felt foolish._

" _Yeah. I think he was," Damon said._

" _Good," Valerie said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I just wish…"_

" _You'd been able to say good-bye?" Damon chuckled. "You and me both."_

 _The silence felt alive and Valerie could not hang up. She must have sat, on a sidewalk, in Hartfordshire, for a good hour, just listening to the silence with Damon. They both loved Stefan. They felt the loss, keenly._

 _ **Tell Me**_

Years later, Valerie still felt the loss of her former lover. Damon and Elena had invited her to Mystic Falls, to celebrate Christmas with them and their children but she could not bear it. To see little Samuel and Stefanie's faces as they opened their presents without Stefan; it did not feel right to her.

Valerie decided to come back to the Philippines. She felt closer to Stefan when she came there. It was almost like he was there, with her. This made her lips tug into a smile as she took a seat on the stool and ordered a drink.

A young man came to sit beside her and Valerie decided to ignore him. She'd had affairs—prior to finding out about Stefan—he chose someone else, she had the right to find a bit of happiness, however fleeting. Right now, she did not desire the company of whichever type of fool this boy turned out to be.

"Hello, love," he said, leaning closer to her, his elbow nearly touching hers. "Feeling the need for a tropical vacation rather than being stuck with your family this holiday season?"

"My family is dead," Valerie snapped. "Now, if you will excuse me. I would like to drink alone."

"Suit yourself," the man said, but he did not move.

Sighing, Valerie picked up her drink and walked away from the bar. Her feet led her to the beach and she stared up at the stars. She remembered looking up at these same stars, many, many years ago, with Stefan.

"It is a lovely view, isn't?" the man said, startling her out of her thoughts. What would she have to do to rid herself of this persistent companion?

"It is. And, I really do wish you would leave me alone. I am not in the mood for company," she snapped, taking a long sip of her drink before turning her back on the man.

The man sped in front of her. Wonderful. A fellow vampire. "Or you could stay," he replied, his green-blue eyes glowing in the moonlight. Something about him seemed vaguely familiar. His hair that fell into his eyes—the green of them—looked incredibly familiar.

Pursing her lips, Valerie stared at the man, not much more than a boy when he was turned. Probably about Stefan's age. "Do I know you?" she asked him.

"No." The man shook his head. His eyes were glowing and his lips formed a wide grin that gave off a hint of Damon Salvatore. But that was impossible. And those eyes. No.

"I have to go," Valerie said, feeling confused. She tried to step past the vampire when he caught her arm. "Let me go!" she cried.

"Not until we've had a little chat. I think that is the least of what you owe me, after dumping me with that hideous coven of yours," the man spat, his eyes glowing.

"What are you going on about?" Valerie demanded, staring at the man, who shook his head. "Who are you?"

"Oh, please, Valerie, you're not daft." His grin grew as she began to shake.

"You are not him. He died!" Shaking, Valerie ripped her arm away and stumbled backward.

"No. Alive and well. Well, no, not alive, but well enough. No thanks to you, mother," the man said, folding his arms over his chest. His eyes pierced right through and Valerie felt like she'd been stabbed with a vervain laced stake.

"No. That is impossible. I tried the spell. But it did not work," Valerie cried, shaking her head. "I wanted… Oh, I wanted him to live." Tears ran down her cheeks.

"Looks like you got you wish. It's a Christmas miracle, mummy. Come. Give us a hug," the man said, holding out his arms.

"You are not Stefan's son," Valerie snapped.

"You mean the dead vampire?" the man retorted. "The one who died just a week before I tracked him down? Is that the one you speak of with such adoration?" Cocking his head to the side, the vampire smirked. "So quick to save his precious town, he allowed something much more important to slip through his fingers."

"Do not speak of your father in that way!" Valerie shouted, her fury taking over. "He did what he believed to be the right thing. He could not have known…" Inhaling sharply, Valerie's jaw grew taught. "He could not have known you lived. But if he had… If he had… He would have wanted to know you. He would have done everything he could to be your father."

"Are you sure about that?" the vampire, her son's, eyes shown with bright, softening and she finally saw the boy she'd always wanted to meet in him. "Because I would have liked that. Very much."

"He would have named you Jacob," Valerie said softly, reaching out and taking his hand. "What is it that you call yourself?"

"Roman. But I think I would prefer to go by Jacob now." Jacob seemed vaguely amused by something. "Yes. Jacob Salvatore. Stefan's long-lost son. Oh, wouldn't that shake up the tiny town of Mystic Falls?" Grinning, his eyebrows rose and Valerie felt a rush of fondness. She could tell he would cause her many a headache but he was right: He was her Christmas miracle, the only wish she could have for this year.

"Let's travel for a bit before you decided to spring it on them?" Valerie said, taking Jacob's hand.

"As you wish, mother," Jacob said. Pausing, he looked around. "May I ask why you came here?"

"Because I feel your father here," Valerie told him.

"Oh," Jacob looked around him. "Hello, daddy," he said with a smirk. His gaze fell on Valerie. "Do you believe he can hear us?"

"I hope so," Valerie said.

"Right." Jacob shook his head, a grin on his lips. "Where to, mum?"

"Perhaps France?" Valerie offered.

Jacob nodded. "I've always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower and I have a secret fondness of cheese."

Laughing, Valerie moved past him and led the way across the beach. For a moment, she thought she saw a glimpse of Stefan. He stood, near the surf which crashed against his bare feet. His hands were shoved into his pants' pockets, he was watching Jacob with the mixture of fondness, regret and just a touch of concern that Valerie thought must mirror her own.

Stefan's eyes met hers and Valerie felt her breath stop. He lifted his hand and waved before turning and heading down the beach, a wistful look on his face. "Merry Christmas, Stefan," Valerie called to him and she thought she saw him smile a second before he disappeared into the night.

 **Be on the look-out for Mystic Falls: Homecoming, featuring Jacob, Sam, and Fanny Salvatore, as well as Hope Mikaelson, Lizzie and Josie Saltzman, and many of our fan favorites.**

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.**

 **Answer to guest review:**

 **ScareltRose: Ah, Bonenzo. Why did they have to kill him? :'( It was lot of fun to write about him being a dad, and in the new story, Homecoming, we jump into a storyline which picks up with a human Damon playing daddy to his teenagers. I think, I hope, thanks to spoilers that Klaorline will be endgame. *Fingers crossed.***

 **Peace,**

 **Jessica**


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